ღ Something Missing ღ
by Lolly4Holly
Summary: After Nick gets out of the coffin  Gravedanger S5  that was almost his death, he feels like there's something missing in his life, and he thinks that Greg is the answer to his problems. Nick/Greg pre-slash
1. Prologue

**Something Missing**

**Author:** Lolly4Holly

**Rated:** **(T but M later on) NC-17**

**Pairings:** Nick/Greg pre-slash. Other minor pairings include GSR and Cath/Warrick. Not major characters in the story, but they are mentioned here and there.

**Summary:** After Nick gets out of the grave _(Grave Danger from season 5)_ that was almost his death, he feels like there's something missing in his life, and he thinks that Greg is the answer to his problems.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own CSI or any of its characters/episodes/quotes. I'm merely borrowing them :D

**Warnings:** Adult content, **M/M** slash relationship. Based around the end of season 5, onto season 6. No character deaths. Lot's of emotions!

**Author Note:** I wrote this a while ago, but it was only three chapters long when I left it. I decided to come back to it and finish it off. I'm not sure how long it will turn out to be, at the moment it's around **50,000 words**, but I haven't finished writing yet. This should keep you entertained while I think up new chapters for my other stories, and most of its already written so it should be uploaded one chapter a day, after I beta'd it for myself of course.

The chapters will be around **4,000** words each so I can get them to you quicker.

The characters will be a little out of character from the show as I don't think they showed enough genuine human emotion, but I'll try and keep them true to the show so it's more real. The rating for now will be '**T**' since it involves minor slash relationship, but will later change to '**M**' :D As always I would really appreciate your reviews.

**Big warning**, it opens on torture. I do not enjoy torturing Nick, trust me :D

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy this story.**

* * *

**Prologue:**

Snapping his eyes open, Nick let out an exhausted gasp of air as the greenish coloured glow sticks continued to illuminate his face, making his headache two hundred times worse than it already was. He tried to lie as still as he could, as the little deathly ants scurried across his body, biting every inch of vulnerable flesh they could find. He flinched every time. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't relax. He couldn't move. But he could feel every inch of his body throbbing with pain. He couldn't last for much longer.

All he wanted to do was die.

Before, the thought of death would have terrified him, but right now he was completely open to it, and fast.

Nick snapped his eyes open again as he shook himself awake. He wanted to stay awake in case anyone would find him, so he could call out to them, even though the odds of that seemed pretty slim right now, he couldn't give up hope. He knew his friends wouldn't give up on finding him, so he wouldn't either.

Suddenly, the fan stopped whirring around.

Nick heard the dying fan, weakly turning his head to face it, just as another ant bit him on the back of the neck, followed by his thigh then in the arm and stomach simultaneously, making the pain even more unbearable.

Nick gasped his last few breaths of air, reaching for the gun at his side. He ran his swollen fingertips across the rough grip handle of the gun, considering the thought of taking the easy way out. He was going to run out of air soon anyway. The bug bites were now covering his whole body. There wasn't a single inch of him that wasn't throbbing with the burning white hot pain, and he felt as though he was about to go insane after trying to keep it together for so long.

"Arrrhhh!" He let out a painful scream, trying to stay as still as possible again, so they wouldn't bite him as much, but with his entire body trembling with pain, it was an impossible move to even attempt.

Reaching for the gun with a firmer grip, Nick let out another weak scream, as he struggled to raise the deathly cold object towards him. He couldn't believe he was getting ready to finally end his existence, but right now, it seemed like the easiest option out of this torture chamber. And after all, his friends wouldn't have wanted him to suffer, so it wasn't completely selfish.

Or so he tried to assure himself.

It wasn't like he had much of a life to go back to anyway. His family were all out in Texas with husbands, wives, kids and whole existences that didn't involve him, except the occasional birthday party, Christmas celebration or thanksgiving dinner they invited him to, but those were few and far between now.

But then there were his friends. Sure he had friends, but they were all at work. Sara was like another sister, but they weren't that close, as she only let people in to a certain point, guarding herself from any real closeness or intimacy with the people around her. Catherine, the graveyard shifts assistant supervisor was nice enough. She did know a few of his hidden secrets that he had let her know about, but she had a life of her own that didn't involve him either. It's not like his sudden death would affect either of the women at the lab, not in a life threatening way anyway.

Then there was Grissom, the labs graveyard shift supervisor, who was like a substitute father to Nick. He seemed to pick them up wherever he moved to. But Grissom didn't see him that way, so that was out. Warrick was a good enough friend; he might miss him for a while . . . and Greg.

He knew he would miss him or he hoped he would.

Greg was the best friend he had ever had, in his whole life. The loveable ex-lab tech seemed to take more notice of him than anyone else in the whole lab, even the world. Sometimes he even thought that their relationship could grow into something... more. But Nick was too afraid to express his true feelings for him, just in case the younger man didn't feel the same, and the news of Nick's feelings might freak him out.

"Oh my... gh," Nick groaned as the ants gnawed at his skin, sending his muscles into spasm. "Gr-Greg." He croaked, panting heavily at the thought of never seeing him again, as his gun holding hand started shaking against him.

Pulling it closer to his chin, his screams became even weaker and more desperate. He struggled against the ants, fighting for oxygen in the torture chamber, as he pressed the cold muzzle of the gun right to his chin, waiting for that final burst of courage that would allow him to pull the trigger and end his existence, and the pain coursing through his body.

* * *

Quickly dropping the shovel he was using to dig his friend out to his side, Warrick dropped to his knees, brushing the dirt away from the edges of the Plexiglas coffin that Nick was trapped in. He quickly cleared the cover as he saw a body in there, praying that his best friend was still alive, and that he could save him, after all, it was his fault that he was in there instead of him.

"Hey!" Warrick shouted as Nick's face was suddenly lit up by the green glow sticks, revealing the gun pressed to Nick's chin. "No, Nick! Hey, we got you man! Hey, Nicky!" He shouted, desperate for Nick to hear him, as he had his eyes tightly squeezed together, while his trigger finger was slowly manoeuvring into position to pull it and end his life. "No, Nicky!" He shouted in desperation.

Clearing off more of the dirt with his palms, Warrick banged his fist against the Plexiglas cover to get his attention. Nick wiped his palm across the frosted lid, removing the condensation as he heard a noise. He tried to widen his eyes to see who it was, but his eyes were too blurry. But there was definitely someone there; he could see hands that weren't his own.

"Hey, hold on there, Nicky! Put that down!" He shouted, watching the gun in Nick's hand still quivering against his jaw.

"Greg, get the fire extinguisher!" Grissom suddenly shouted.

At first Greg was too frozen to move, but he suddenly took off running back towards the Denali's that they arrived in, powered by his adrenaline to save his friend's life. Reaching the back of one of the Denali's, Greg quickly unhooked the fire extinguisher then ran back towards them, struggling to hold it together as he could hear Nick's screams echoing from inside the coffin.

"Short bursts, Greg. Don't suffocate him!" His supervisor instructed, stepping aside as Warrick wedged his shovel under the coffin cover to pry it open. Greg dropped to his knees beside the coffin, taking a moment to look at Nick shaking, screaming and beginning to lose it inside the coffin. He knew other people were probably thinking, '_I'm so glad that's not me.'_ But Greg was thinking something more along the lines of, '_Why couldn't it have been me, instead of him?'_

Greg shot out a couple of short bursts from the fire extinguisher, squeezing his eyes tightly shut as he heard Nick's agonizing screams erupting from the box. He wanted to make sure that he wasn't hurting him, but he couldn't bear to look at him like that again. The images from the webcam were still etched into his mind, but this was so much worse.

"Hang on, Buddy!" Warrick tried to calm Nick, giving Greg another nod as he pried open the bottom end of the coffin to kill the ants on his legs. "Hang on, Nicky!" Warrick quickly motioned for the others to help clear off more of the coffin cover, so he could open it and get Nick out.

Sara took the fire extinguisher from Greg's hands as he seemed to be frozen to the spot, then quickly made her way round to the other side, shouting, "Get the Paramedics!" after she finally saw the condition Nick was in.

"Hang on, Nick!" Warrick shouted again, just as Catherine's cell phone started to ring.

"Willows." Taking a few steps away from the commotion, Catherine covered her hand over her other ear, as she held the phone closer, trying to hear what they were saying. "Hodges...? No, no... we've found him. We're getting him out now." Taking another step back, Catherine held the phone closer as Hodges suddenly protested, insisting she listen to him. "What, what is it?" Catherine furrowed her brows together as she listened to his voice. "What? You've gotta be kidding me!" She groaned.

Clearing off the coffin once they dug it out more, Warrick took point on one end, nodding round to the others as they each gripped a corner, ready to tug it open.

"One . . . Two . . . Three . . ."

"Everyone out of the hole!" Catherine suddenly shouted, rushing over to them. "That box is ready to explode!"

Captain Jim Brass, from the police force looked round at her wide eyed, as he straightened up. "You're kidding?"

"Get out of there now! There's charges under the box!" She yelled at the top of her lungs, in case anyone misheard her that time.

Everyone but Warrick backed up. Greg was reluctant to move, but Brass grabbed his forearm, pulling him away, as he directed the other officers away from the danger site.

"I'm not leaving without, Nick!" Warrick protested, remaining beside the coffin that still housed his trapped best friend. "There's no way I'm leaving without him!" He stubbornly shouted, wondering why the others were even considering doing the same.

Grissom immediately turned his head to the side, trying to think up a plan. He looked towards the digger out to the side, thinking up a solution, while Catherine and Warrick continued to have it out with one another.

"Warrick!" Grissom shouted in his direction, as the distraught friend tried to lift the lid of the coffin all by himself. "Warrick, Catherine's right. Get out of the hole, now." He firmly ordered. "I know what we're gonna do, Warrick." He spoke in a softer tone. "We're not leaving him. Trust me."

Warrick looked up into Grissom's trusting eyes that had protected them all over the years from any kind of danger, then slowly released his hold on the lid of the coffin, reluctantly taking a step back.

"Nooo! Help me! Heeelllp!" Nick's painful screams erupted from the coffin, as he saw everyone moving away. "Heeelllp!" He screamed, all alone again. "Nooo!" He began to thump weakly on the surface above him, sobbing furiously as everyone left his line of sight, leaving him completely alone once again.

"We need two hundred pounds of dirt over here, right now!" Grissom barked an order at everyone. "We're gonna use that truck to get it." He pointed over to it.

The officers around them quickly rushed off towards it, getting it ready, while Grissom carried out the rest of his plan.

"Nicky!" Jumping down into the hole, Grissom brushed away the dirt covering the glass so Nick could see him clearly. "Nicky, can you hear me?" He shouted to him, watching as Nick quivered, cried and shook with terror. "Nicky, listen to me!" He tried to get his attention. "It's gonna take us a minute to get you out of there, okay? Nick!" He shouted again, as Nick continued to weakly hit the cover with his hands, not listening to him, as he was too panicked.

Grissom looked around at the team stood back from the hole as they were instructed, then remembered something Nick's father had said, back at the lab.

"Pancho!" Hearing the familiar name, Nick stopped struggling and really started to listen to his supervisor. "Pancho, listen to me!" Laying his hand flat against the surface of the Plexiglas cover, Grissom looked down into Nick's tearful eyes, instructing, "Pancho, put your hand on my hand!"

Concentrating on Grissom's words, Nick slowly raised his trembling hand, placing it flat on the lid above him, directly beneath Grissom's hand.

"Good." Grissom praised him, letting out a sigh of relief. "Now listen to me, Pancho. There may be explosives under the box. They're probably set on pressure switches." He surmised. "You need to equalize your body weight, before we can pull you out, okay?" Nick panted heavily in the box, struggling to breathe as he listened to Grissom's instructions. "Pancho! Nod your head if you understand me."

After a brief moment, Nick slowly nodded his head, gulping down the large lump of bile, slowly rising in his throat.

Temporarily removing his hand from the lid, Grissom leant up on his knees to look around at the rest of the team, giving out some more orders, "Okay, we're gonna use the dirt from the truck to equalize his body weight." He pointed to it then turned towards Sara. "Sara, I need rope and a carabiner from the back of my car."

Sara immediately took off running to get what he needed.

Kneeling back down on the lid of the coffin, Grissom looked back down at Nick, placing his hand on top of his own over the Plexiglas cover. "Alright Pancho, we're gonna open the lid and get you out, but I need you to _stay_ lying down! Okay? Or else you'll blow us all up." He tried to explain to him, even though he looked on the verge of losing it. "Pancho, do you understand me?"

Nick weakly nodded his head, clenching his teeth into his lower lip to keep himself from screaming again.

"Nicky, do you promise?" Nick nodded again as the engines of the truck got louder as it approached. "Pancho, say 'I Promise!" Grissom shouted to him.

Sobbing back his tears, Nick nodded his head again. "I pr-omise. I promise." He assured him, desperate to get out.

"Bring it over this way!" Catherine directed the officers in the truck, while Warrick jumped into the hole with Grissom, helping him with the lid of the coffin.

"Nick, don't move!" Grissom warned him, as the lid finally pried open.

Nick blindly reached his hands out towards Grissom through his loud sobs, wanting to get out of there as fast as possible. Grissom reached his arm into the box, placing his hand on Nick's chest to keep him lying down, as he wasn't exactly thinking clearly right now and he didn't want him to kill everyone here because of it.

"I got you. I got you." Warrick soothingly spoke, as he held Nick's other arm to help Grissom keep him lying down, while Sara made her way back over to Grissom with the items he had requested in her hands. Grissom clipped the rope onto Nick's belt, making sure it was secure then looked towards the truck, making sure it was getting ready into position.

Nick inhaled deep breaths of the fresh air around him, clutching onto Grissom's and Warrick's arms, as if they were his life lines. Feeling his friend desperately clinging to him with fear, Warrick tried to sooth him to keep him calm, "Just stay still, Nicky. Lay still. It's okay. It's okay, Nicky, we got you."

"Okay, okay." He spoke softly as the initial wave of panic started to subside. He watched as Grissom shouted something over his shoulder to the guys in the truck, but his ears were still blocked with the Bubblicious bubble gum, making it difficult to hear him.

"Pancho!" He shouted as he turned to face Nick. "We're gonna get you out of here, real soon. I want you to close your eyes and hold your breath."

Nick looked up at him wide eyed a moment then realised what he had planned. He didn't know if he could hold his breath after being deprived of oxygen for so long, but he nodded his head regardless, desperately wanting to be anywhere but here.

"Now!" Grissom suddenly shouted, once Nick had done as instructed.

The dirt from the truck dropped into the hole, completely filling it and covering Nick's body. Grissom and Warrick quickly joined the others on the rope, getting a firm grip so they could pull Nick up and out of the hole and away from the explosion.

"Ready? Go!" Grissom shouted.

Everyone quickly tugged the rope together, watching Nick being hauled from the loose dirt of the coffin, literally flying through the air towards the hard dirt just a few feet away. As soon as he hit the ground the coffin itself exploded, sending a cloud of dirt up and out.

Greg and Warrick were the first to scramble to their feet, rushing towards Nick on the ground. His eyes were clamped tightly shut, but his body was still twitching from the pain he was in, indicating that he was alive.

"Get the... Pa-ramedics!" Greg shouted, his voice breaking as he couldn't bear to see his best friend like this for much longer.

The paramedics quickly rushed towards them, gently turning Nick over onto his back so they could get to work. "C'mon, man," Warrick lifted Greg by his arms, gently tugging him back from Nick, so that they could get a gurney into place and take Nick off to the hospital.

Through the slits in his eyes, Nick could just about make out the moon and the stars up in the sky above him. He noticed Grissom, Sara, Warrick and Greg, all walking along side him as he was wheeled off towards some bright flickering lights that he presumed was as ambulance, wondering if he had really just killed himself back there and this was all a dream of what he really wanted to see.

The paramedics carefully loaded Nick into the back of the ambulance, securing the gurney in place then climbed inside. Warrick and Catherine were next to follow, taking a seat on the padded chairs against the ambulance wall. Nick reached out for Warrick's hand as his life line again, clenching it tightly in his own. He closed his eyes as he no longer felt alone or in danger, but he knew the pain was far from over.

One of the paramedics set him up with an IV drip, replacing the fluids lost to his body, while the other hurried round to the front of the ambulance, ready to drive Nick back into the city towards the nearest hospital.

Sara and Greg stepped up beside each other, watching as the ambulance began to pull away from them, both desperately hoping that Nick was going to be alright. Grissom gave out a heavy sigh as he stepped up beside the rest of his team, watching the ambulance disappearing off into the distance.

Conrad Ecklie, the day shift supervisor was next to follow, giving the night shift supervisor a curious look, as he didn't know what to say to him. "I want my guys back." Grissom spoke softly, just audible enough for Ecklie to hear him.

* * *

Hours later at the hospital, Greg sat with his head in his hands in the visitor's waiting room, anxiously bouncing his knee up and down from his nerves. Grissom and Sara were sat on the other side of the room opposite him, constantly staring up at the clock above Greg's head, making him more than a little paranoid, as he was directly in their line of sight.

Warrick was leant against the wall by the door with his arms folded across his chest and the sweat was still pouring off his head. Catherine had since gone home to send Lindsey off to school, promising she'd be back once she was dropped off, as she wanted to be there to support Nick, like the rest of them were.

Greg glanced up through his long lashes that were weighing heavy across his tired eyes as Nick's parents, Judge Bill Stokes and Jillian Stokes, finally came out of the room, clutching one another tightly as they sobbed into one another's arms for the pain their youngest son was in.

Greg noticed that Judge Stokes seemed to be holding stronger than his wife though. Greg hadn't seen a single look of emotion cross the man's features, from the second he stepped into the lab and heard about his son's kidnapping. He thought he _almost_ saw a look of worry when Grissom showed Jillian and Bill that their son was alive by showing them the live video feed of their son trapped in a coffin, but he was clearly mistaken, as he came up with a line like, 'What the hell have you gotten yourself into?' making Greg more than a little furious, as it wasn't Nick's fault at all.

Nick's parents slowly exited the waiting room, taking their time to talk to a few doctors on their way out. Greg noticed that Nick's father was asking all the questions, while his mother, Jillian was drying her eyes with a crumpled tissue in her hands, soaked with her tears of worry, before she stuffed it back down the sleeve of her long sleeved blouse, reminding Greg of his own mother that he realised he owed a phone call to.

Everyone looked round at the sound of a sudden clanging sound coming from Warrick's direction.

Warrick gave them all an apologetic look as he slowly knelt down to pick up the penny he had dropped. The ridges of the edges felt harsh and cold across his fingertips. He gripped it in his palm as he climbed to his feet, imprinting the callous edges of the bad luck into his torn skin from desperately digging up his screaming best friend in two separate locations, and the rope burns there from trying to pull his friend to safety.

Greg didn't know what the deal was with that penny, but ever since Nick had been abducted, Warrick had been constantly threading it through his fingers, while his mind was riddled with guilt over what happened to Nick. He knew from past crime scenes that Nick and Warrick were always coin tossing over the gruesome things no one wanted to do, so he figured that maybe that had something to do with it.

"Greg." Sara gently shook him as she knelt down in front of him to look up into his eyes. "I'm gonna go get a coffee, you want anything?" She spoke softly, giving her pseudo baby brother a look of worry, as he had barely spoken.

Greg looked into her warm eyes then slowly shook his head side to side, thinking he wouldn't be able to stomach anything right now. His stomach still hadn't settled since the first time he walked into the AV lab, spotting Nick on the monitor in that small space, trapped.

"Mr Grissom," A young nurse cleared her throat, as she made her way over to him. Grissom glanced up through his equally tired eyes, giving her a curious look. "You can see him now. Short visits, he needs his rest." She cautioned him, before she headed back to her station, just down the hall.

Grissom looked around at his team then slowly climbed to his feet, heading over to where Warrick was standing. Greg was glad he hadn't picked him first to go and see Nick. He wouldn't know what to say, he just wanted to hold his hand or look into eyes to know that he was alive. He couldn't think of any words of comfort to help him. He just didn't know what to say that could possibly make anything better.

Warrick pocketed the unlucky penny then brushed a hand through his dusty, dishevelled hair as he headed off down the hall towards Nick's room. Greg watched him slowly disappearing into the room then turned his gaze back down to the tiled floor beneath him, to focus his mind on something other than his friend's pain, as he really didn't want to cry again. He had cried in the drive over, but luckily Sara was there to calm him down, assuring him everything was going to be alright.

_But how could it be? It's not every day your best friend is buried alive and eaten by ants._ Greg thought to himself, digging his dirty nails into his scalp, as he tried to settle his nerves.

In the room, Nick seemed much calmer and safer, but Warrick was still worried about him. He let the door slowly creak closed behind him then took a hesitant few steps around the side of Nick's bed towards his left side.

At first glance he looked very weak and still, but as Nick's eyes fluttered open, and he reached out his hand to his friend, giving him a soft smile as he returned the handshake. "Damn Nicky, you really scared me."

Nick's smile slightly increased as he bent his arm towards his chest, holding Warrick's hand securely against him. "H-hey, thanks for the save, man." He spoke in a scratchy tone, choking on the dusty air that still filled his lungs.

"Anytime, bro." Warrick returned the smile, unable to stop his eyes from grazing across the oozing sores covering Nick's body. "Hey eh... how you feeling, buddy?" He knew it was a dumb question, but he just had to know.

"Like I got hit by a truck," Nick smirked, readjusting his head back against the pillow behind him. "Is everyone else out there?"

"Yeah, they're waiting to see you, Nicky." Warrick watched his buddy giving out a soft sigh, gripping his hand tighter against his chest. "You want me to send them away? I could tell them you're not up for visitors today." He thoughtfully suggested.

"N-No," Shaking his head, Nick's voice croaked slightly. "I'll be fine." He assured him. "Hey, is Greg here?"

Warrick gave him a nod, "Yeah, he's out there. You wonna see him first?" Nick quickly shook his head again, stretching his other arm out that had the itchy IV in it. "Are you in pain?"

"Nah." He shrugged it off.

"Are you sure?" Warrick found that hard to believe, as the bites covering his body looked really itchy and sore. Nick just responded with a nod, slowly relinquishing his grip on his buddy's hand so he could leave. "Okay, I'll go grab Sara or Cath, so we can get this over with and you can get some sleep."

Nick nodded gratefully to him, watching his friend slowly making his way out of the room. He headed back towards the waiting room, spotting Sara coming back into the room with some coffees in her hands. He looked towards the chair where Greg was once sat; noticing it was now vacant and no one else in the room had even noticed he was gone.

"Hey, you can go see him now." Warrick told Sara then ambled off towards one of the swinging doors, looking around at the busy halls of doctors, nurses and patients, searching for Greg. He spotted a door to the men's bathroom just down the hall, deciding to check there first. The sinks were vacant and all the stalls were open though, indicating that he was not there.

Warrick ran a hand through his hair then hurried back out, frantically searching the crowd to look for him. "Greg! Hey, Greg!" He called out to him, as he spotted the younger man pushing his way out of the double doors to get some fresh air outside.

Warrick apologised to a nurse for bumping into her then grabbed Greg's wrist as he stepped out the door to get his attention. Greg immediately turned to face him; being pulled into the older man's arms as he saw the slight tear streaks running down his face, just as he had done earlier today when Greg first saw Nick on the monitors.

"Hey Greggo, shh," He tried to sooth him, feeling his body shaking against him. Seeing him in pain was like watching his little brother in pain. Warrick didn't have much in the way of family, but to him, the people at the lab that he worked with were his family and he would do anything to protect them.

"Hey, he's okay, man. What's wrong?" Greg closed his eyes against the older man's shoulder, feeling his breath stuttering from his throat. "I know you're keen on Nick, bud. But he's gonna be okay." Greg looked up at Warrick surprised. He had always looked up to Warrick as he was always there for him, but he never would have thought that Warrick knew his biggest secret. "C'mon, why doncha go and see for yourself? He's the same ole Nicky. You'll see."

"B-but... what am I s-supposed to say?" He stammered, wiping the tears from his face. "I'm not strong like you, I can't keep it together."

Warrick looked at the younger man surprised. He had never seen him so scared or nervous before. It was completely out of Greg's usual hyper character, and it was scaring him.

"Why doncha just go and sit with him?" He suggested, slowly pulling back from his arms. "Just hold his hand and be there for him. I'm sure after constantly being asked questions by everyone if he's okay, he'll like the quiet."

"Okay." Wiping his eyes on the sleeves of his sweatshirt, Greg sniffled softly, inhaling slow deep breaths to calm his breathing down. He gave Warrick a soft smile to thank him then slowly turned, making his way back through to the hospital, towards Nick's room, noticing Sara and Grissom just coming out.

As soon as Sara spotted the tear streaks and the shakiness in her pseudo baby brother, she pulled Greg into a gentle sisterly hug, noting the jealous look on her secret boyfriends face as she hugged the younger man in her affectionate embrace. She gently smoothed her hand down his back, trying her best to comfort him. Once his breathing had calmed down, Sara stepped aside to let him through, giving him a reassuring smile as he moseyed off towards Nick's door, feeling his heart steadily increasing.

Greg shakily reached one hand out to the cold door handle of Nick's room, inhaling a deep breath of courage, before he pushed it open, greeted with the warm gaze of Nick Stokes. He loved those eyes. Those eyes reflected the older man's soul for all to see. There were no hidden agenda's in them, just the look of a pure hearted man that he adored.

Greg managed to return the slight smile to the older man, shutting the door behind him, before he took a few steps closer towards him, feeling even more nervous now that he was actually in the room with him.

"Hey Nicky, I'm really..."

"You don't have to say anythin'." Nick cut him off, reaching one of his hands out to him. Greg carefully took a seat on the edge of Nick's bed, sliding his hand into Nick's swollen one. The exhausted man gave Greg a grateful smile then closed his eyes, giving into his much needed sleep now that he was safe. Greg was equally tired, but he decided he was going to stay awake to watch over him, clutching his hand tightly in his own the whole time so that Nick knew he was there.

He was relieved that he was safe, but he knew that Nick's mind was going to need a lot more time to heal then the injuries caused to body. But as always, Greg would be there to help him through it. Because that was what good friends were for.

* * *

**That's the prologue, very much based around the end of 'Grave Danger' (in case you didn't notice) and I know some things are different, because That's the way I wanted it :D**

**Please Review if you liked it!**

**~ Holly**


	2. Chapter 1: Secrets in Friendship

**Chapter One: Secrets in Friendship**

Clawing. Gasping. Thrashing. Panting.

Greg anxiously watched as Nick squirmed and whimpered in pain beneath the hospital bedding. He wanted to wake him up to get him out of the nightmare, but he knew Nick needed his sleep and the doctors had told him not to wake him up before, as he needed as much rest as possible right now, so that his body could heal.

But he couldn't watch him like this for much longer; it was just too upsetting. It was as though he was letting Nick be tortured all over again and not lifting a finger to stop it.

"Nicky." The younger man whispered, gently brushing his fingertips across the older man's sweating forehead. "Please wake up, Nicky, it's just a dream." He spoke softly, clutching his trembling hand tightly in his own. "Okay, don't laugh at me here, Nicky. This is something my Papa Olaf always used to sing to me when I was a kid. Only he sang it in Norwegian, but I never bothered to learn the lyrics in... anyway, don't laugh." He cut himself off, as he realised he was talking to a sleeping man that probably couldn't hear him. "This always used to calm me down when I was having a nightmare as a kid." He whispered, before he cleared his throat, leaning against the pillow beside Nick, so he could hear him. "Hush little baby don't say a word. Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird. If that mockingbird won't sing. Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring. If that diamond ring turns brass. Papa's gonna buy you a looking glass. If that looking glass gets broke. Papa's gonna buy you a billy goat..."

"You're worse than Catherine." Nick's voice suddenly spoke up, giving Greg a smile as he turned to face him. "Yesterday she started singin' twinkle little star." His voice croaked on the dry air in his chest.

"I'm sorry; it's the only one I know." Greg smiled to him, still holding Nick's hand at his side. "It woke you up from your nightmare though, didn't it?"

Nick nodded slightly, gazing into Greg's eyes a moment, before he asked, "What are you still doin' here, G? I told you to go home."

"You also begged me not to leave you. You told me you fancied a lemon square, which you then threw up. And you told me you could smell lilies." The younger man smiled round at him. "It wasn't until the doctors told me you were slightly delirious from the meds and the dehydration that I realised I shouldn't take anything you said seriously."

"Just tell me I didn't say anythin' embarrassin'." Nick pleaded, giving Greg a puppy dog expression, as he looked into his eyes.

"Nope." He assured him with a simple head shake. "Nothing embarrassing." Greg looked up as one of the nurses tapped on the door then pointed to the watch on her wrist. "That's my cue to leave." He sighed heavily, as he climbed off the bed. "I'll be back tomorrow."

"Gr..."

"Don't complain." Greg sternly warned him, giving him a smile as he grabbed his jacket off the end of the bed. "I really don't mind coming here to see you, so I'll be back tomorrow. No arguments though or I'll tell people what you really said to me." He threatened with a wide mischievous grin then slowly slipped off out his room to head home.

Nick looked after him curiously, wondering if he had really said something to Greg that could be embarrassing or whether the younger man was just teasing him, like he was always doing back at the lab.

The truth is, he never could tell with Greg, he was always full of surprises.

* * *

Fluttering his eyes open the next day, Nick's chest arched heavily up and down as he looked around the room disorientated. He wasn't in a small space anymore, the roof was higher above him and he had more room to breathe, but he still felt trapped. "Whoa, don't pull that out." A voice suddenly startled him, as he went to tug the itchy IV from his arm. "That's keeping you hydrated."

Nick tilted his head to the side, seeing Greg once again stood beside his bed. The younger man gently smoothed his delicate fingertips across the bandage covering the IV, giving Nick a soft smile as he looked up into his eyes.

"What about that one?" Nick pointed to another.

"That's stopping you from feeling anything." Greg straightened out the blanket on top of Nick, looking at all the pussing blisters across his chest. "You can't feel them, right?" Nick shook his head slightly, glad everyone else had gone home again, as Greg was all the company he needed right now. "Let me know if it does. The nurse said you can just click this thingy if you feel anything. She said not to worry about over dosing; the machine doesn't allow it to go..."

"I know how it works." Nick interrupted him with a smirk. "I've been using it for the past few days."

"Sorry." Greg took a seat on the edge of his bed, clamping his lips tightly shut to try and stop his nervous habit of over talking in uncomfortable situations.

"You _can_ talk, Greg." Nick's lips spread into a slight smile of reassurance.

"Two years ago our roles were reversed," Greg said the first thing that popped into his head, feeling awkward as Nick looked up at him. "The lab explosion. I mean. You were sat here, and I was lying there." He pointed to him.

"I remember, G." Nick remembered it all too well.

"Do you want more water?" Greg reached for the glass with a straw in it off the serving tray, carefully bringing the straw to Nick's lips for him. "Remember when you did this for me? You said something that made me laugh so hard it all snorted out my nose."

"I so didn't mean to do that." Nick smiled up at him, licking his lips as Greg pulled the straw back from his mouth. "I can't remember what I said either."

"I did that once in college too, only it was soda and it all fizzed up from my nose." The younger man giggled, setting the glass back on the tray for him. "Can I get you anything else?" Greg spoke softly as he delicately brushed his fingertips through Nick's short strands of hair that were stuck to the side of his sticky forehead.

"Nah, I'm good." Nick shook his head to him, closing his eyes for a brief moment as the exhaustion overcame him again, but he quickly snapped them back open again as he didn't want to go to sleep for fear of waking up back in that box.

"It's okay," Greg tentatively reached out for Nick's hand at his side, sliding his long slender fingers between Nick's to hold his hand. "I'm here, Nicky." Nick watched Greg cautiously, giving the younger man a soft smile as the seemingly innocuous touch felt so good against his tender skin. "You can go back to sleep. You'll still be here when you wake up." He assured him.

"You look like hell, Greg." He suddenly blurted, looking at the bags beneath Greg's eyes from his lack of sleep.

"Looked in the mirror lately?" Greg retorted, beaming one of his ever famous wide smiles in the Texan's direction, only with less flare from his own exhaustion. "You got a little," Greg suddenly reached his fingertip out towards Nick's left eye, gently brushing it across his tear duct. Greg gave the older man a nervous smile as he realised he was turning into his mother. "So eh... you wonna watch television or play cards?"

"Why are you still here, Greg?" He asked. "It's been three days. Trust me... I'm okay. Even my parents didn't stay here this long. I'm fine."

"You keep saying that, but I don't see it." Greg feathered a single fingertip down the soft curve of Nick's jaw line in the glossy trail of a dried tear. He noticed the dark stubble on his jaw was starting to increase as he hadn't been able to shave since his whole body was aching and covered with bites. "Besides, we're friends. You came to visit me every day while I was in hospital. You changed my bandages when I went back home..."

"You swore you'd never tell anyone the rest of that story." Nick warned him. "We _are_ friends." He agreed, finally weaving his fingers between Greg's and gently clamping them down over Greg's knuckles to pull his hand closer against his own. "I just meant, what are you _still_ doing here? It's Friday. Doncha have a date or somethin' to get to?"

Greg pursed his lips together then shook his head. "Nope, no date." As Nick struggled to sit up straight, Greg carefully readjusted the pillows beneath his head, making him more comfortable. "Besides, what kinda friend would I be if I left you here all by your lonesome?"

"You're a damn good one." Nick assured him, letting a smile play across his lips as he looked into the younger mans eyes. "G, did you ever think... that we could... that we... could ever be... you know," Nick seemed to be struggling with his words. "Forget it." He gave up with a heavy sigh.

"No, tell me." Greg insisted, entwining his fingers with Nick's again. "That we could ever be what?"

"Nothin'," Nick retreated into himself again, looking anywhere but in Greg's eyes. "I was just thinkin'... that you're the best friend I've ever had. I mean Warrick's all for savin' my life, but he doesn't stick around to nurse me back to health like you do."

"That's because guys like Warrick like to play the hero." Greg gently brushed his fingers through Nick's dusty hair, clearing the dirt smear from his forehead. "He cares about you, but he's too macho to stick around to help you through the pain."

"You just insulted yourself there, G." He chuckled softly, brushing his thumb across the back of Greg's smooth hand. "I don't think Warrick's brave enough to stick around for this stuff." Nick surmised. "You are though. It takes a desperate man to be a hero in the eye of danger, but it takes a brave one to stick around after the dangers over." He interpreted, giving the younger man a gentle smile that creased his eyes just enough to make Greg's heart soar.

"You get that off the back of a cereal box?" He suddenly teased him.

"Ha ha, Greg." Nick rolled his eyes at him. "Here I am tryin' to compliment you, and you keep makin' jokes."

"I'm sorry, that's just another example of what friends do for each other though." Greg giggled.

"Most guy friends don't bath their naked buddy's and put them to bed though." Nick decided to tease him back, really glad Greg was here as he took his mind off everything that was going on while the others made him constantly think and talk about it.

"You swore you didn't look." Greg responded with a cheeky grin, making Nick's smile increase, giving Greg a deep soulful look as if he was begging him to read the signs of his love for him.

"Hello, Greg." One of the nurses poked her head into the room, holding her clipboard against her chest. "It's that time again." She tapped her watch.

Greg gave out a frustrated groan, "You're such a buzz kill, Anna. I gave you muffins and everything today, but you still want me to leave?"

"I'm sorry, Greg." She smiled at the young man. "I don't make the rules, I just enforce them."

"That's what I always say too," Climbing to his feet, Greg grabbed his jacket off the other chair, pulling it on over his shoulders. "Looks like I have to go, Nicky. Anna's kicking me out again."

"I'm sorry very, Greg. You can come back first thing in the morning." She assured him as she checked on the machines around Nick, double checking his IV. "You both really need some sleep anyway."

"Okay. I'll be back bright and early tomorrow Nicky." Greg flashed a grin in his direction, giving him a wink, as he searched his pockets for his car keys.

"Left one, G." Nick pointed out to him, smiling as the younger man found them right where he said. "You really don't hafta come back in the mornin' G, you need yah rest."

"Yeah I do. But I'll see you in the morning." Greg winked at him again then turned towards the door of Nick's room, pausing a moment to wave to him, before he slowly wandered down the hall, towards the exit.

Nick watched him go then slid down the pillow behind him to a comfier position, as he watched the nurse recording down the machines information on her charts. "That's one special boyfriend you got there, Nick." She suddenly complimented him.

"Oh, he's not my boyfriend." He sighed in disappointment, feeling odd that he wasn't embarrassed by her presumption about him and Greg. "I wish he was, but he's just my best friend. My _very_ best friend."

"You never asked him out?" She queried, surprised.

Nick shook his head to her, "No, I'm not brave enough to do that."

"You have to be brave to ask a guy you like out?" She grinned at him, giving him a quizzical look. "Unless he doesn't know that you're... into men, I understand. Even so, nothing should stop you from taking the chance. You can't miss out on love, Nick."

"But I've never fallen for anyone as hard as him, and I can't bring myself to tell him in case it ruins our friendship." The nurse gave him another curious look. "I'm aware of how dumb that sounds."

"It's not dumb." She shook her head to him. "And I don't think you're giving Greg enough credit. You know he's always here at the crack of dawn. He waits out by the nurses' station until he's allowed to see you. He slept out there when you were first brought in and I heard him asking his supervisor for a week off, just so he could be here with you. That doesn't sound like any friendship I've ever heard of. Trust me, that boy's fallen for you, and who wouldn't?" Anna smiled at him, adjusting the covers for him so he could get comfortable to go to sleep.

"Oh." Was all Nick could say, as he thought about it.

"Can I get you anything else?" Nick looked towards her then shook his head. "Okay, here's the call button," She placed it beside his left hand. "Press it if you need anything. The pain ones still there. I'll be in to check on you in a few." She gave him a sweet smile through the blonde tendrils of hair hanging around her face then slowly made her way off out of his room, clicking the door back into place behind her.

Nick watched her go then turned his head to the side, looking at the chair where Greg had been sat the past few days, while he was in here. Friends really did look out for one another, but it took great friends to stick around through the good times and the bad.

* * *

Swiping a tired hand across his face, Greg dropped his head back against the cushions of his sofa, immediately being startled awake as a bubbly toddler jumped onto the sofa beside him, bouncing up and down on the sofa cushions beside him, before he pulled her into his arms to make her stop, tickling her furiously.

The giggling little tot squirmed and shrieked in his arms, resting back against his chest once he finally stopped. "What are you still doing awake, Munchkin? Your Mommy shoulda put you to bed hours ago." He asked her.

"Mommy fell'd sleep." Reaching for Greg's hand, she held it between her own little hands, beaming a wide gapy toothed smile up at him. "Where you go?"

"Hospital with my friend, Nick." He reminded her, cradling her in his arms as if she was a baby. The little girl smiled wider as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head, gently brushing his fingers through her blonde hair. "Where's your sisters?" He queried, brushing her hair back behind her big ears.

"Sleep." She replied, fiddling with the watch around his wrist. "Mommy says you sad coz Nicky got hurt." Greg nodded to her, looking into her innocent little eyes. "Why don't you stay with him?"

Greg gave her a slight shrug then looked up at the time. "You have to get back to bed, little miss. You've got Pre-K in the morning." He reminded her, lifting her up into his arms as he climbed to his feet. He carried her off down the hall towards the bedroom where her sisters Jacey and Macey were lying in a bundle beneath the warm mountain of covers.

Greg gave the little girl in his arms a kiss to her forehead then lifted her down onto the bed to tuck her in with her sister. "G'night, Gracey." He whispered to her.

"G'night." She waved up at him, snuggling up beside her sisters as she closed her eyes.

Greg smiled as he watched the three little angels peacefully sleeping together. If it wasn't for their little tell tales marks he learned to spot, he would never be able to tell the differences between the three beautiful triplets in his life.

Gracey's brilliant brown eyes gave her away as her sisters both had green. Jacey had three distinct little moles across her chin, while her sisters were spotless of them and Macey was the tallest and the loudest. She was the first triplet out and she's always remained the bossiest since then.

Slowly making his way out of the room, Greg carefully clicked the door shut so he wouldn't wake them then made his way towards his bedroom down the hall, collapsing onto the big empty bed that hadn't been slept in for the past three days.

Within seconds he dozed off to sleep, not bothering to remove his clothing, as he was just too tired.

* * *

Greg headed straight over to the hospital in the morning, not bothering to grab breakfast, change his clothes or even shower. He just wanted to go and see Nick, so he wasn't alone. When he arrived at the hospital, all the usual doctors and nurses waved to him as he was becoming a regular around there. They watched the young man heading straight off towards Nick's room, only to stop when he saw the room was empty.

"Where is he?" Greg immediately panicked, whirling around towards the nurses' desk. "Nick Stokes, where is he?"

"Relax Greg," The youngest nurse, Anna stepped around the desk towards him, worrying he was about to hyperventilate. "The doctor just wanted to do a few tests on him to make sure he's okay."

"Is he?" Greg eyes widened, as he looked at her, waiting to hear her answer.

"Yes Greg, he's fine. Go and wait in his room, he'll be back in a minute." She assured him, giving him a gentle push in the right direction.

Greg slowly walked off towards the room, dropping heavily into one of the chairs. Within a few minutes one of the orderlies brought Nick back in a wheelchair, helping him get back into bed. Greg watched the orderly leave then sat on the edge of Nick's bed, watching the older man getting comfortable against the pillow beneath his head.

"What are you doin' here this early, Greg?" Not that Nick wasn't happy to see him, he was just worried about Greg's health, since he was here every day looking worse and worse.

"I just woke up so I came to keep you company."

"You're wearin' the same clothes as yesterday." Nick noticed, feeling guilty for putting him through this. "You look exhausted, G."

"You should be more worried about you." Greg giggled softly, gently brushing his fingertips through Nick's messy hair to neaten it up for him. "So, what did the doctors say?"

"Well the swellin's goin' down. They're not too worried about my breathin' and things anymore." Nick watched Greg's fingertips gently brushing across the bumps on his forearm; desperately wanting the younger mans touch to increase across the rest of his body as it felt so good. So much better than any pain medication they were giving him.

"When can you go home?"

"Maybe at the end of the week," Nick brushed his thumb across the back of Greg's hand on his arm, before he looked up into his eyes. "So you come here every day and you don't bring me breakfast?" He teased, wanting to change the subject to a happier note.

"Well, I kinda forgot." Greg giggled softly, just as his own stomach started to rumble.

"When's the last time you ate, G?" He queried, feeling even more guilty, as the younger man was so concerned about him that he forgot to look after himself. Greg gave him a shrug as he couldn't remember. "That's it."

"Whoa, where are you going?" Greg stopped Nick, as he suddenly went to climb off the bed. "You can't just leave Nicky, you have to stay here."

"You need food." Nick insisted, not stopping as Greg placed his hands on his chest, trying to keep him on the bed. "I'm not havin' you gettin' sick, just because of me."

"Nicky, you have to rest." He insisted, quickly reaching out to unhook the IV from around the railing before Nick yanked it from his arm, causing himself even more pain. "Nicky, wait a sec. You're still hooked up to the machines here."

"I've been lyin' flat on my back for just over a week now, I can't do it anymore. C'mon, we'll go get some food." Nick unclipped the heart monitor and things from his chest, dropping them back onto the bed.

"You're so stubborn." Greg stopped him from pulling the IV from his arm, wheeling the stand out so he could walk with it still in his arm. "Believe it or not, this stuff is designed to stop you feeling the pain of those bites covering your body."

"That doesn't make me stubborn."

"Does too." Greg grinned back at him, masking his concern as he helped the stubborn man off the bed. He was just as stubborn as ever, making Greg slightly relieved as he was still the same old Nick, but still concerned at the thought that he was going to push himself too much to get back to normal. "Might I suggest a bigger robe though?" Greg suddenly indicated towards him as the hospital gown he was wearing rode up his thigh.

"Oh, yeah," Flustered, Nick tugged it down as far as it would go, looking towards Greg who wasn't laughing at him like he had thought. Instead he was searching the cupboards and things until he found a long, fluffy white hospital robe that would cover more of him up. He helped him to put it on then gently fastened the ties around his waist before he led the way off down to the hospitals cafeteria to see what they had down there to eat.

They sat together at the one of the tables with their food, filling up on their first good meal since Nick was taken.

* * *

A few hours later, Catherine stopped by the hospital with a box of chocolate chip pancakes, Nick's favourite kind from I-HOP. She walked straight off towards his room, immediately spotting Greg sat against the headboard right beside Nick, with cards in his hands. She watched the two of them giggling together, playing cards across the serving table in front of them.

"Can I help you?" Nurse Anna stepped up beside Catherine, looking at her curiously.

"Oh no," She shook her head, not wanting to disturb the two of them. "Can you give these to Nicky?" She handed over the box of pancakes to her, giving her a smile, before she headed back out of the hospital.

"Hey, don't look." Nick pulled back his hands from Greg, so he couldn't see his cards. "That's called cheatin', Sanders. Back in the day they'd have chopped your cheatin' little hand off for that."

"Waaayyy back in the day." He chuckled. "And you're winning anyway." He groaned, tossing down another card. "I wish we had some tequila shots."

"We got jello." Nick pointed to the grape jello still sat on the tray. "It's probably not the same as the jello shots you're used to back in your party boy days." He teased him; belly laughing as Greg gently elbowed him in the side.

"Me the party boy? You're the frat boy." He reminded him, enjoying the familiar banter with Nick again. "Don't tell me you didn't liquor up your girls with jello shots, _before_ you could get em into bed." He giggled.

"Who said it was girls?" Nick simply responded, grinning widely as Greg looked round at him surprised. "I win." He declared, before Greg could say anything, dropping his winning hand onto the table. "Your turn to shuffle up and deal, Einstein." Nick smiled at him then looked towards the door as one of the nurses walked in.

"Anna you shouldn't have." Greg giggled, as she set a box of pancakes down on the table for Nick.

"Oh I didn't, this strawberry blonde woman left them for you." She smiled at the two of them. "Can I get you anything else?"

"This is like a hotel." Greg smirked, shuffling the cards in his hands.

"No thanks, I'm fine." Nick smiled at her then watched her leaving, before he opened the box to take a look inside. "Gotta be, Cath." He grinned, as he saw his favourite pancakes inside.

"Maybe it's one of your ex-girl-boy-friends wanting another piece of the Stokester." Greg teased him, as he shuffled the cards again, before dealing them out between the two of them.

"That sounds completely lame." The older man smirked. "I never called myself the Stokester. Just coz I was a frat boy, doesn't mean I had countless sexual partners either, G."

"Says you. I've been to frat parties. They're all about the sex. Wild parties too. I used to have to sneak in or offer to boost the sound system so I could get in."

"They let a geek like you through the door." Nick teased him, laughing as Greg gave him a scowl.

"You may not realise it now, Stokesey, but back in the day, I was the cool kid everyone wanted to hang out with." He declared, brushing his hand across Nick's to reach for the other cards.

"I'll bet." The Texan snickered, actually beginning to get an ache in his jaw from all the laughing and smiling.

"If you weren't so fragile already, I'd hit you, Stokesey." He warned him.

"Take yah best shot, geek boy." He dared him, so happy Greg was here to take his mind off everything.

"All in good time, redneck." Greg responded, flashing his winning hand towards Nick. "I win, Stokesey!"

"That makes it seven – one... to me." The Texan belly laughed again, grabbing the cards from Greg's hands to shuffle them for himself. "Thanks for stayin' with me, Greggo." He thanked him again.

"You're welcome." Greg opened his hands as Nick handed his cards over him then readjusted himself against the pillow beside Nick. "I'll remember some breakfast tomorrow, and I'll bring you some pants or something, so you won't be flashing the blushing gals again."

Nick gave him a smile then offered him one of his pancakes as he took another bite of the one he was eating. They finished off the rest of the pancakes together, dealing out a few more hands of cards, before they started to watch some television, as their hands started to cramp up.

Greg soon dozed off to sleep against Nick, soundly sleeping beside him while Nick watched him instead of the television. His eyes were moving slightly beneath his eyelids and his slender chest was steadily rising and falling with each deep breath that silently whistled from his nose.

Nick smiled softly as he looked so adorable, and he had imagined the day he would get to sleep so close to Greg so many times, but the real thing was so much better.

* * *

**Thanks so much for reading, please review!**

**~ Holly**


	3. Chapter 2: Void in my Life

**Chapter Two: Void in my Life**

Climbing out of his car, Greg grabbed the duffel bag of his friends clothing off the back seat, before he headed off into Desert Palms hospital. He walked straight towards Nick's room at the end of the hall, giving Nick a wide smile as he entered his room. "Hey, I got you pants, underwear, a t-shirt, oh and a sweatshirt, just in case you get cold, your toothbrush... and sausage, bacon and egg sandwiches." Greg reported, as he rummaged through the bag, he had dropped on the end of Nick's bed. "Oh, and here's your keys back. I locked up when I left." He assured him.

"Thank you." Nick reached for the packaged sandwiches as he was starving. While Greg pulled a chair up to the side of his bed to take a seat, Nick fumbled with the packet for half a minute then Greg jumped to his feet, ripping it open with one clean sweep. "Thanks." Nick thanked him again, lifting the first sandwich from the packet. "You know Cath gets me pancakes. Sara gets me pizza. Warrick buys burgers. Even Grissom brings me homemade soup, but you buy me these packaged sandwiches."

"Actually, that's from my fridge." Greg pointed out to him, giving him an innocent smile. "I _can_ cook. I just _choose_ not to." He defended himself. "You're lucky I brought you anything at all. I completely forgot to do my laundry for like the past... month. I don't have any clean underwear in my whole apartment."

"Ew... nice image, G." The older man frowned up at him through a smirk, taking another bite of his sandwich.

"I'm not wearing dirty underwear." He rushed to clarify. "I've gone commando." He cheekily grinned as Nick looked up at him wide eyed. "So, did you talk to your doctor, when can you go home?" He quickly changed the subject.

"Yeah, the doc only said I _might_ be able to go home later today, he wasn't positive."

"Yeah, but you have to change your clothes though. That robe you're wearing is getting more than a little ripe, Tex." He teased him, pinching his nose together, as he took a seat on his bed. "Do you want your reputation as the gorgeous ladies man to go downhill because you're wearing a smelly robe?" He giggled.

"I haven't exactly showered since... you know. It's not my fault." Nick frowned as Greg continued to pinch his nose together. "Quit teasin' me, Sanders. I'm not too weak to thump you."

"I was just teasing to make you smile." He grinned at him, as he let go of his nose. "And I never said it _was_ your fault. But you're starting to smell worse than some of our crime scenes." He continued to tease him, receiving an evil scowl from Nick, followed by a smile the Texan was unable to suppress. "I'm sorry, but you are. They'll be calling you Stinky Stokes, before you know it."

"I realise you're just tryin' to make me feel better, but if you seriously don't stop with the teasin', I'm gonna hafta thump you." The Texan threatened him, giving Greg a smile, before he finished off the sandwich in his hands. "This sandwich isn't half bad. How long was it sittin' in your fridge?"

"Two days, it's still fresh though." Greg pointed out the date on the label. "I wouldn't give you old stuff, Stinky Stokes." Greg giggled as Nick went to clench his fist.

"I warned you, G."

"You wouldn't hit me and you know it. You love me too much, Stinky Stokesey." Greg cheekily poked his tongue out, waggling his eyebrows to him.

"You've seriously gotta stop callin' me that." Nick licked the ketchup from his fingers then reached for the other sandwich. "You goin' back to work next week?" Greg responded with a shrug. "You should, G; you can't take any more time off to be with me."

"Why, because we're not betrothed?"

Nick raised one of his eyebrows as he looked towards Greg open mouthed. He wished that statement were true, but he didn't know if Greg was joking or not, again.

After a long pause, he finally opened his mouth to speak, "No Greg, because I don't want you to get fired because of me." He gulped the next mouthful of his sandwich down then reached out for the glass of water sat on the other side of his tray to wash it down. "Did you call your mother yesterday?"

"Yep." Greg nodded his head, twirling Nick's house keys around on his finger. "If she knew I was a CSI though, she'd make me go back to the calling her every four hours. Now it's once a day, but when I told her what happened to you, she threatened to move closer to me to keep a closer eye on me."

"She already lives in Vegas, how much closer can she get?"

"My apartment." Greg shivered. "An empty guest bedroom is an open invitation for my mother. She'll make up the excuse that she's helping... but really she'll just be hindering."

Nick chuckled softly, shaking his head at Greg. "You've gotta tell her about your job sometime, G."

"I will, once she's over the initial shock that I was in a lab explosion. She still hasn't gotten over it." Greg pointed out to him. "Oh, I just remembered," Greg reached into the duffel bag for Nick's post he had collected from his house, handing it over. "I think there's like eight bills here. I left the junk mail on your end table by the door. I didn't think you needed pills for erectile dysfunction, hair implants or any of that other stuff yet because you're still..."

"Thanks, G." Nick cut him off, giving him a wide smile. Wiping his sticky fingers down himself, Nick slowly started to rip open the post, setting the bills and things aside to take home with him.

"What's that?" Greg queried as he opened a handwritten letter from somebody.

"It's a . . . it's a letter from my brother."

"You say that like it's a surprise."

"It is. He never even sends me a birthday card." Nick unfolded the letter across his lap, scanning his eyes across it to skim read through it. He looked up, catching Greg trying to read it upside-down, deciding to explain, "We kinda lost touch after I left for Vegas."

"Why?" He queried, looking at Nick surprised, as he handed the letter over to him to read for himself.

"I told him... somethin' about me that he didn't accept." Nick cryptically explained, reaching for the underwear and the t-shirt in the duffel bag on his bed, noticing they were probably the tightest pair of clothes he owned in his whole wardrobe and Greg had found them.

Nick gave Greg a curious smile as he continued to read through the letter sent from his brother.

"What an asshole." Greg muttered under his breath, looking up at Nick over the top of the letter. "And this guys your brother?" Nick nodded. "You know, I was always curious to meet him, but now I'm not so sure." Handing the letter back over to Nick, he looked the older man curiously in the eye, asking, "You told a jerk like him that you're into guys, but you never bothered to tell me?"

"I didn't know how you'd react." Nick defended himself, looking at the hurt expression in Greg's eyes. "Besides my brother Chuck, Warrick is the only other person who knows. I wanted to tell you, G. I just... didn't know if you'd accept me."

Greg scoffed at his answer, "So, you figured the easiest way was to let me read it in a letter?"

"I guess." He shrugged slightly, realising he didn't think it through very well. "I don't even date guys though, so technically I'm not gay."

"Being gay is inside you all the time, Nicky. You don't suddenly turn gay when you date a guy." Greg explained to him, noticing how uncomfortable Nick was with the word 'gay'.

"Oh, I never thought about it like that."

"So, why doncha date guys if you like them?" Nick gave him a shrug. "How do you know you're into guys then?" Greg asked him, curiously, feeling as though his prayers had suddenly been answered.

"Trust me, I know." Nick dumped the empty wrapper of his sandwich onto serving tray, stuffing his letters back into his duffel bag. "I haven't told my Mom or Dad either. I feel that if they knew, they're suddenly stop lovin' me or somethin'. You don't feel differently about me now that you know do you?" He quickly asked.

"Are you kidding?" Greg gasped surprised at Nick's question. "Do you really think I'm that shallow minded? I accept you for your love of country twang don't I?"

"Yeah, but this is different."

"How? It's something that's always gonna be inside you and always has. You're a good ole fashioned Texas boy, with Christian values; you love your meat, country twang and you just so happen to like guys. You really think I'd suddenly stop speaking to you because of that?"

"No, I guess not."

"Exactly, not liking you for that is just as ridiculous as saying I'm never gonna speak to you again because you like the colour blue." He chuckled softly, watching a slight smile spreading across Nick's nervous features. "I'm gonna go talk to your doctor," Greg abruptly changed the subject again, climbing off the bed. "Be right back."

"Hey Greg, are you freaked? I mean, not about me likin' guys... or maybe it is. You know most straight guys don't like to hang out with gay guys." Nick stopped him from leaving with his worries. "Warrick was a little funny about it at first, and my brother completely cut me out of his life."

"Well, first of all . . . whatever made you think that _I_ was straight?" Greg asked him, taking a moment to look at the surprise in Nick's eyes, before he continued, "This just opened up a whole load of possibilities. Really Nicky, you think knowing your sexuality would change the way I feel about you? If you think I'm that shallow, then you really don't know me at all." Greg beamed a thousand watt lovable grin in Nick's direction then made his way into the hall to go and find Nick's doctor, so he could take him home.

Nick smiled after him then untied the uncomfortable hospital gown he was wearing beneath the blankets, tossing it onto a chair. He lifted the t-shirt down over his head, tugging it down his broad chest then wriggled into the underwear Greg had gotten, feeling much more comfortable in actual clothes that weren't paper hospital scrubs.

"Tomorrow." Greg excitedly declared, as he came back into the room, admiring Nick's broad shoulders and toned chest through the t-shirt he had brought over for him. "The doc said you can _definitely _go home tomorrow." Greg perched himself back on the bed beside Nick, reaching for the pack of cards they were playing with the other day. "I can get you some more clothes for tomorrow and you can have a nice hot shower in your own place."

"Sounds good to me." Nick smiled at him, nestling back against the pillow behind him. "What about work?"

"What about it?"

Nick rolled his eyes in annoyance, "When can I go back, G? What did they say about it?"

"We'll talk about that later."

"Greg." He complained, adjusting the covers around his chest. "What did they say? Just tell me, I can take it."

"Well, Grissom and Ecklie have both agreed that you have to see a PEAP counsellor. Once they've signed off that you're okay... then and only then can you come back to work."

"That's total BS." He snapped in frustration, feeling as though he was being punished for being abducted. "What do they think I'm gonna go all crazy on them or somethin'?"

Greg gently reached out for Nick's hand, looking up into his eyes as he spoke softly, "It's okay if you don't feel up to it, Nicky. Any normal person will be completely off their rockers after going through what you went through. Maybe you should just take a short vacation from it all?" He suggested.

"I'm not just any _normal _person. Do you think I'm gonna go completely loony?" He quizzically asked him. "I'm not crazy."

"I never said you were. But my opinion doesn't matter anyway." Greg pointed out to him, grabbing the napkin off the serving table to wipe the ketchup Nick had smeared across his chin. "I personally think you're gonna be fine, because you're stronger than anyone I know. Doesn't mean I'm not worried about you though. Remember what happened to me? I was fine in the hospital, besides the pain anyway. But at home I was having nightmares, cold sweats..."

"That's to be expected though."

"Same with you, Nicky. No one's gonna think that you're weak or incapable if you have a few weeks off work to get your head together. The therapist is protocol; they did it with me after Grissom saw my hands shaking. We're only human, Nicky; we can only take so much."

"Okay." Nick reluctantly agreed. "But after I'm outta here, you're stayin' at your place to get a decent night's sleep."

"Fat chance of that at mine." He muttered, dumping the napkin in the bin beside Nick's bed. "Speaking of," Greg glanced at his watch then jumped off the bed. "Mind if I leave early today? I got some errands to run."

"Yeah sure, make sure you get some sleep, Greg." He sternly warned him. "I'm not havin' you drive me home tired, I'd rather call, Sara. And you know how much I hate her drivin'."

Greg snickered softly then leant across Nick's bed, pressing his lips to his temple, before he gently ran a hand through his tousled hair. "You get some sleep too, Nicky." He winked at him then turned towards the door. "I'll be back tomorrow with pancakes and clothes."

"Pancakes? You're really treatin' me now, G." Nick smiled after him, waving to him as he disappeared into the hall. He felt his heart skipping in his chest from the new excitement, making him want to be with Greg even more now, than ever before.

* * *

"Good Morning, sleepy head." Greg whispered as Nick's eyelids slowly started to flicker open the next morning. "I gotcha pancakes. I even got you some coffee." He smiled as he raised the thermos from his hands. "You want it now?"

"I feel tired." Rolling onto his side, Nick gazed into Greg's warm chocolate caramel eyes, feeling his heart fluttering in his chest, especially after the dream he just had about him. "You're here early aren't you?"

"Couldn't sleep."

"There's a lucky charm stuck to your collar." Nick suddenly pointed out to him. Greg looked down at his jacket, picking the lucky charm from it. "You rush on your breakfast there, G?"

"Sorta." The younger man shrugged, chucking it into the trash can beside Nick's bed. He gave the older man a nervous smile as it was probably from one of the triplets when he hugged them all goodbye at the breakfast table this morning. "So, you want me to take you home today or did you change your mind?"

"I definitely wonna get out of here today." Nick nodded to him, reaching for the thermos Greg had set down on the serving table.

"Let me." Greg took it from his hands, pouring him out a cup then helped him to sit up straight, by adjusting the pillows behind him to support his back.

"I really have to shower, and I'd love to do anythin' but lie in bed all day." Nick finished, taking the hot mug of coffee from Greg's hands. "Mmm, I love your coffee."

"Good." Greg smiled back at him, carefully taking a seat on the edge of his bed. "They're almost all gone." The younger man spoke softly, as he brushed his fingertips across the slight bumps on Nick's skin that looked like mild spots now. "Do they still hurt?"

Nick shook his head slightly, taking another sip of his coffee before he spoke. "They itch; it's not so bad now though." Nick smiled slightly as Greg mindlessly played dot to dot with his fingertips across the various bumps on his arm. "So Greg, about what I told you yesterday... you're not, you know... gonna tell anyone are you?"

"Nope, why would I?" Greg set down the box of pancakes he was still holding, sliding the serving table a little closer towards Nick, so he could reach it if he was hungry. "Your sexuality doesn't define who you are. No one needs to know, nor care. You're still the same ole, Nick."

"I don't wonna be the same ole Nick though." Nick took another sip of his coffee, before he set it down, reaching for the pancake box to fill his hungry tummy. "I've liked guys since I was fourteen years old, but I've never been with one. My college days were filled with watchin' the other guys doin' wild things. I never do anythin' besides work and go home to an empty house. I haven't taken a vacation since I was a kid, and that was only campin' with my brother and my father. I was gonna die havin' accomplished nothin'. No one would ever miss me; my life would have been unfulfilled..."

"Aren't you a little young to have a midlife crisis?"

Nick scowled up at Greg, as he took his first bite of his favourite pancakes in the tray. "I don't even know if these are my favourite. They're the only flavour I've ever tried. See, I'm not ambitious enough. Do you have any idea what it feels like knowin' you're gonna die, havin' done nothin' with your life?"

"Strangely enough, yes." Greg nodded to him.

"Oh right," Nick remembered, taking another bite. "So you know what I mean then, only you didn't have to lay there for sixteen hours or so thinkin' about it."

"True, but I thought about it every moment after." Turning round on the bed, Greg slowly lowered himself to the pillow beside Nick, lying next to him as he thought about it. "You're not gonna die, Nicky. Not anytime soon anyway. You've got a lot more years to try every flavour of pancake in the world, before you finally decide your favourite." He assured him, through a wide comforting smile. "We'll even get you dating guys and I'll be there to help you accomplish whatever you want."

Nick gave him a smile back then moved aside slightly, giving Greg more room beside him. "Why you, G?"

"Why me what?"

"Why do you wonna help me?" Nick asked him. "What do you get out of it?"

"A happy best friend?" The younger man suggested, reaching for Nick's hand at his side to entwine their fingers together. "You have the need to connect to your life, so why not start by connecting with your helpful best friend? And I don't want anything out of it." He assured him, turning his head to the side on the pillow to face him. "I just want you to be happy."

"Okay." Nick agreed, returning his buddy's smile.

"Good, now finish up your breakfast, so we can get you dressed and go."

Nick gave him another smile, before he reached for his next pancake, looking into Greg's fatigued eyes as he ate it. Once he was finished, Greg retrieved his toothbrush from his bag for him, sending him off into the bathroom, so he could brush his teeth. When he came back out, Greg had set his clean clothes out on the bed for him, ready for him to put them on.

Nick removed the t-shirt and boxers he was wearing then reached for the clean underwear, making sure Greg's back was turned, before he pulled them up his legs, snapping them into place at his waist. He then tugged on the t-shirt and comfortable sweatpants, before he took a seat on the bed, pulling the socks and sneakers on that Greg had brought with him.

The doctor came in to give him one final check up then Greg led Nick out to his car once the doctor was done, turning the radio right down, so his car was quiet while he drove Nick back to his house.

"I did some grocery shopping for you the other day. I got you some milk, coffee and things." Greg announced, as he pulled up in Nick's driveway. "If you need anything else, just give me a call."

"You don't wonna come in?"

"Um..." Greg looked over at Nick's front door then turned back to look at the vulnerable looking man sat beside him, giving out the deep breath he didn't realise he was holding. "I guess I could, for a few minutes anyway. You want some of my coffee I gotcha? You could go shower while I make you something to eat."

"You don't have to do that."

"I have to make sure you eat before I go." Greg smiled round at him, leading the way towards his front door.

"I just ate though. I'm fine, Greg." Nick unlocked the door letting them both inside then flipped the lights on, shivering at the memory of the coffin lights clicking on like that, before he dropped his keys on the side table and cautiously entered his house.

Greg closed the door behind him then stepped into the kitchen to brew some coffee. "You want me to help you?" He suggested, as Nick was still stood in the front room, gazing around at all his things.

"Eh..."

"C'mon," Reaching his hand out for Nick's, Greg gently tugged Nick off down the hall, towards the bathroom. Flipping the light switch on in the bathroom, Greg noticed that Nick seemed to jump at the simple action, making him worried about him again, but he didn't want to ask if he was okay, as Nick was probably getting sick of that lately. "You wonna bath or shower?" He pointed to them both.

"Shower." Nick shivered, as he looked towards the bath, feeling ridiculous for being scared of anything that remotely reminded him of his coffin experience.

"Okay, you want help?" Greg indicated towards Nick's clothing, as he continued to stare at the bath, as if it was going to swallow him whole. "Nicky." Taking a slight step towards him, Greg slowly reached for the rim of Nick's t-shirt, gently tugging it up his chest. Nick raised his arms as it reached beneath his arms, allowing Greg to lift it up over his head and discard it to the floor.

In the bright light of Nick's bathroom, Greg could see the bumps of the bug bites more clearly. He looked as though he had chicken pox, but the spots looked so much worse, as some of them were still swelling and pussing.

"Are you sure you're gonna be able to shower with these?" Greg queried, as he reached for the strings of Nick's sweatpants to loosen them for him. "You could just use a damp cloth or..."

"No, I'll be fine." Nick assured him; flipping his sneakers off, so he could remove the sweatpants he was wearing the rest of the way.

Greg glanced at the bites across Nick's thighs then slid the shower door open, leaning through to turn the water onto a warm temperature. He turned back to face Nick once it was on, noticing he was hesitant to remove his boxers in front of him.

"I'll be in the kitchen if you need me." Greg smiled softly to him then stepped past him towards the door.

"Can you leave the door open?" Nick stopped him from closing it.

"Sure." Greg left the door half open to give him some privacy then made his way through to the kitchen.

Nick checked he had a towel and things then removed his boxers, stepping under the warm spray of the shower to freshen up. The hot water stung as it brushed against the slowly healing bites, but it also stopped him from constantly itching as it removed all the sticky drying sweat from his battered body. He didn't use any soap as he figured it would only sting even more, but he was grateful to finally be home and was looking forward to a good night's sleep in his own bed after a refreshing shower.

Nick soon emerged from the bathroom, grabbing some clean clothes from his bedroom, before he stepped into the kitchen, where Greg was stirring their coffees. "You all fresh and clean?" Greg grinned round at him, lifting one of the mugs to hand over to him.

"Yeah, thanks."

Greg gave him a wide smile as he admired Nick's much cleaner complexion and his lustrous thick hair drying in the air. It made him desperately want to run his fingers through it, but he managed to hold himself back, as he watched Nick taking a sip of his favourite coffee since Greg had introduced it to him.

"Hey eh... Nicky, do you want me to stay with you tonight?" Greg suggested, looking over the top of his coffee at Nick. "On the couch." He quickly clarified, as Nick gave him a surprised look. "I don't have to. I can be over again in the morning if you want."

"You can stay." Nick nodded to him. "But I have a guest bedroom, G." He reminded the younger man, taking a sip of his coffee. "You really don't have to stay, if you don't want to though, G. I'm perfectly fine on my own."

Greg gave him a slight nod, not believing the tough guy act for a second, as from what he had seen so far, Nick wasn't fine.

Once Nick had finished his coffee, he washed both of their mugs up then turned in for bed, crawling under the warm comfy covers to the middle of his soft mattress that was much more comfortable then the hospital bed he had been sleeping in for the past week or so. But he soon realised that at the hospital there were hundreds of other people around. There were patients and visitors constantly walking around, along with doctors and nurses coming in to check on him during the night, so he was never truly alone, but here he was.

"Hey, Greg!" He called out to the younger man in a vulnerable voice, smiling as he appeared within two seconds at the doorway. "You've done so much for me already, so I'm really sorry to ask you this..."

"You can ask me anything, Nicky. I'm not keeping score." He assured him, taking a few more steps into the room. "Ask away."

Nick gave the younger man a slight smile, nervously biting his lower lip, before he asked, "Can you stay with me . . . in here?" As Greg looked around at the floor or the chair in the corner, Nick placed his hand on the empty spot of the bed beside him. "Here."

"Um... sure, if you need me." Taking a few steps closer towards Nick's bed, Greg removed his sneakers as he approached the other side, taking a moment to look the vulnerable man in the eye, before he pulled back the covers of the Texan's bed, climbing under the mountain of warm covers for himself. Nick gave him a grateful smile then rolled over onto his back, giving Greg plenty of room on the side of his bed that had never had anyone sleep in it, before now.

Nick was beginning to think that the something missing in his life could be filled with Greg. He was hoping the younger man would feel the same way, but only time would tell of just how far Greg would want to take their friendship.

* * *

**Thanks so much for reading, please review!**

**~ Holly**


	4. Chapter 3: Suppressed Feelings

**Chapter Three: Suppressed Feelings**

Staggering up the driveway of Nick's town house with three bags of groceries in his hands, Greg struggled to balance one of the bags on his hip, while he fumbled with the spare set of keys in his hands to get in. Once he successfully managed to unlock the door, Greg headed straight for the kitchen, nudging the door shut with his foot behind him. He then set the bags down on the counter, beginning to unload the items into the right places, just the way Nick liked it.

"You're here early." Nick startled him, coming out of his bedroom in a comfortable pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. "Sorry." He apologised as Greg was holding his chest from the heart attack he almost just had.

"No, it's okay." He smiled round at him. "I got the day off, so I did some shopping for you."

"What's that smell?" Smelling the air, Nick made his way over to the counter, noticing an I-HOP takeaway box sat inside one of the grocery bags. Nick fully expected them to be his favourite pancakes, but when he opened it up he was surprised by the sight of some cinnamon and apple pancakes.

"They're for you. I closed my eyes and picked one off the menu at random." The younger man smiled up at him, putting the milk away the fridge. "I figure in about a month or so, you'd have tasted all the different menus, and you can finally find out which one really _is_ your favourite."

Nick smiled over at him, glad Greg didn't think he was stupid for wanting more out of his life. "Thanks, Greg. C'mon, we can unpack the rest of that later." Nick grabbed two forks then led Greg by the forearm, towards the couch. Taking a seat beside one another on Nick's sofa, Nick and Greg shared the cinnamon and apple pancakes between them, giving one another the occasional smile. "Mm, these are good."

"I know right." Greg grinned round at him. "Do they top your favourite?"

"Maybe." He shrugged to him, licking his lips. "I still love the chocolate chip, but these definitely are really good." Taking another bite, Nick beamed a smile in Greg's direction as he relicked his lips. "Thanks, G."

"For what?"

"Doin' this for me," Brushing an anxious hand through his hair, Nick looked towards Greg beside him, turning things to a more serious note. "Greg, don't feel obliged to say yes to this or anythin', but would you ever, you know, consider datin' another man?" Greg looked round at him both surprised and relieved. "You really don't have to answer that though." The Texan suddenly went all shy, as he saw the surprise on Greg's face.

"Wait," Greg turned his body on the sofa to face Nick properly. "There's something I should probably tell you." Greg began to feel guilty for not telling him before, but he knew Nick would understand, as he was his best friend. "You know that I'm... pretty much open to anything," Nick slowly nodded his head to him. "Well, I've... kinda been dating both guys and girls... since college. I've never exactly had a serious boyfriend... or girlfriend actually. I never really get that far."

"Oh."

"You're not mad at me are you, for not telling you? I mean, I thought you already kinda figured that I might. I've given you hints several times, but you just seemed to sweep it under the rug or give me mixed messages." Nick gave him a slight shrug as a response. "No one else but Archie knows, he kinda accidentally figured it out when he saw me at a very incriminating club."

"What was he doin' there?"

"You really don't wonna know." Greg grinned at him then saw the look in Nick's eyes that meant he wanted more information. "Okay fine, he has this thing... for... you know... you have to promise me you won't tell him that you know. I did promise him." Nick nodded, crossing his fingers over his heart as a promise. "Archie likes to go out with guys in skirts. He's dated a few genuine girls, but he prefers guys, dressing as girls." He continued to explain, as Nick looked at him confused. "He's bisexual like me, but he prefers the men he dates to be more feminine. Like he won't go out with me, because I don't wear girls things."

"Oh, I totally get that." He nodded to him, noticing the surprised look in Greg's eyes. "I don't though."

"Relax cowboy," Greg smiled softly to him, gently tapping his hand at his side. "All those years of suppressing those feelings, hiding who you really are and lying to people about who you wonna be with, is bound to take time to come out of the closet."

"I don't want it to take time; I never do anythin' good with my life."

Greg smiled at his adorableness, "If you force yourself into it though, it's not gonna be any easier to accept. You've been suppressing yourself for so long, it's gonna be hard to take that final step. Your mind has pretty much convinced your starving body that being with a man is wrong."

"I don't wonna die havin' not... you know."

"I know. Nicky, can I ask _you_ something?" Greg turned completely on the sofa, sitting cross legged in front of the suppressed cowboy.

"Yeah, shoot."

"Do you like _me_?" He blurted as subtle wasn't Greg's way. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to. Just you've been sending me mixed messages for years, until recently I thought it was solid that you do, but now it's like you changed your mind again. Do you just wonna date me because I'm already your best friend and you think it will be easier on yourself? Or do you really wonna date _me_? Over the past few days you've really let me in, so I think you might," Greg looked into Nick's eyes, expecting him to take his chance with him, but he still seemed reluctant to do so, even after all his talk about dying unaccomplished. "Dead silence, that's a bad sign. Now I'm really not sure. It's okay if you don't, maybe I just read you wrong."

Nick lips spread into a slight smile, as his eyes met with Greg's. "I didn't mean to... send mixed messages, G." Greg gave out a soft sigh, as he thought Nick was about to let him down gently that he didn't like him in that way. "I-I do... I do like you, Greg." He stammered, nervously looking down at his hands, completely surprising Greg, as he had never seen him this nervous before. "I _really_ like you, Greg. I always have. I'm just too scared to ask you."

Greg suddenly leant forwards, wrapping one arm around Nick's shoulders as he hugged him tightly. "God, I'm so glad you're okay. I was so worried about you." Nick returned the embrace, closing his eyes against Greg's sweet smelling shoulder. "You should never be scared to ask me anything, Nicky. I'm your _best_ friend."

"Well I know that now." The older man chuckled softly against his neck, making the hairs on the back of Greg's neck stand on end. "My feelin's for you have been growin' since the day I met you. I was just too afraid to tell you, in case the feelin's weren't mutual."

"Trust me," Greg smiled as he pulled back from him. "My attraction to you is definitely strong. We've had this great friendship for five years running now; I've never built this much of a bond with anyone before in my life. We really click." With a slightly nervous smile, Greg looked deeper into the soulful chocolate swirls of Nick's eyes, whispering, "You can relax, Nicky; I'm not like most gay guys, that _I_ know anyway. I've never said anything because I wanted you as my best friend. That's how I like to date. I like to really get to know the person that I'm with. All the guys I know just want to bed a hot body, I guess you're kinda like that with girls too."

"Not true." Nick shook his head to him. "I haven't actually slept with every woman I've dated. I'm not like that, but sometimes... the best way to feel a connection with someone is to..."

"I get it; you don't have to fill in the blanks." Greg interrupted him with a smile, reaching out to hold Nick's hand at his side. "I know how hard it is to date someone from scratch. Especially for me, no one ever gets me, not like you do. And with you, I actually have this amazing friendship to start with. My attraction to you is more about our friendship. Unlike most people, you can actually tolerate my quirks. I'm not just looking after you for your sake; I'm doing it for mine too."

"And who said kindness is never a selfish act." The older man chuckled.

"Well it's not only about the friend thing between us, trust me. Every time you touch me, my heart practically melts in my chest." He admitted, watching Nick's cheeks lightly flushing. "See, that's where I get the mixed messages from. One minute you're invading my personal space, the next you're hitting on one of the cuter young, female lab techs."

"I'm sorry." The nervous Texan apologised again, brushing his thumb across the back of Greg's hand. Completely blown away by Greg's expression of his feelings for him, Nick remained silent a moment, as he struggled to absorb it all and think of something to say in return to Greg.

"You don't have to say anything." Greg spoke softly, as he saw the anxious look in his eyes. "If you're worried about the sex, don't be. That's not the only reason I want you." He assured him, giving him a nervous laugh, before he continued, "I'm a little old fashioned when it comes to dating anyway. I _actually_ like to get to know a guy, before we... you know, roll in the sack. And since we're both being completely honest with one another here, I should probably tell you I'm a... virgin bottom." He bravely stated.

"You mean...?"

"I've only slept with one guy, and I was a top." Greg nodded, feeling guilty for filling in the details, but Nick seemed to be thankful for them. "If it's any help, when I've imagined the two of us together... you know intimately, well our roles are kinda the same as they are when we're working out in the field. You know how you always insist on driving to a crime scene, talking to suspects first and you boss me about to get things done?" He flashed a nervous grin to the equally nervous man sat in front of him, as he figured out what he was saying to him. "Well, that's how I see us, you know, being together."

"Oh, okay." Nick let out a nervous laugh, feeling his throat clamping up, as he struggled to speak. "No it's not any help, but thanks for clearin' that up."

"I've never seen you so nervous before," Greg smirked, lifting his hand into both of his own. "I'm not gonna push you or anything, if that's what you're worried about. I'm totally fine with us just being friends forever. The last thing I wonna do is make you uncomfortable."

"Thanks." Nick finally smiled back at him, clutching Greg's hands tightly in his own. "I think, some stuff, like the sexual stuff, still weird's me out a little. Mostly because I think of it from another person's perspective, like what my Mom or my sisters..."

"I imagine I'd feel pretty uncomfortable thinking about my Mom while having sex too." Greg interrupted him with a chuckle, making Nick's gorgeous smile expand. "If you really wonna date me, we can hold out on the intimate stuff, until _you_ are comfortable with it." He assured him.

"This conversation is real, right? I didn't overdose on my meds."

"No." Greg giggled to him, tightening his grip on Nick's hand. "See, you're awake and this is all real. Notice how I'm still a gushing dork and I still only have the upper body strength of a kitten."

Nick laughed softly, shaking his head to him, "I don't know, you got a pretty strong grip there, G." He smiled back, as the hand holding from another man felt so much more comforting then the weak and delicate hold of a woman that he was used to. "And I pretty much adore the gushin' dork in you." His voice croaked with his nerves.

Greg laughed softly; reaching for Nick's other hand with his own. "So earlier when you asked me if I'd ever consider dating another man, that is you right?" He double checked in case he was hearing things.

"Yeah it was . . . that was just my weak attempt at tryin' to ask you out."

"Okay, I would totally consider dating another man, especially if that man happens to be you." He winked at him then released his hands, climbing to his feet to clear away the pancake boxes while Nick let out a relieved, blissful sigh.

Nick soon climbed to his feet off the sofa, following Greg off towards his kitchen where he was starting to unload the shopping once again. "So eh... you are okay with... us then?" He queried, as he watched Greg scoring away the cereal boxes into his top cupboards.

"Yeah, I guess now I know that you actually want me after five years, I'll just have to wait for you to ask me out properly. Who knows how many years that'll take yah?" He cheekily slipped in, giggling as Nick gave him a funny look. "I'm glad I know. I like you a lot, Nicky, like painfully adore you, but I'll give you all the time and space you need."

"In that case," Reaching over Greg to help him put the shopping away, Nick gave him a smile as he looked the younger man in the eye. "When I get the courage up, could I maybe call you to arrange a date? I don't know if it's the meds they got me on, or the fact I almost died, but I don't wonna wait another year to date you."

"Cool." Greg responded, "Well you already know everything I eat and the things I like to do, so it should be the easiest date you've ever been on."

"No, not really." He shook his head, looking at the cookies Greg had bought him curiously as he didn't eat cookies.

"Oh, those are mine." Greg smiled as he reached for them. "Don't worry; I deducted it from your total."

"Oh, okay," He smiled at him then leant back against the counter behind him. "It won't exactly be the easiest date, Greg. Sure I've had lots of dates, but they were all with people I didn't know and I didn't want any of them badly enough. They also weren't my best friends." He pointed out to him.

"Well you don't have to impress me," Greg assured him, pulling open the fridge to unload the last of his groceries. "Just be you, that's all I want. I just want you."

"Wow, that was nowhere near as awkward as I thought it would be." Nick smiled in relief. "I want you too, G." He admitted, nervously looking up into the younger mans eyes. "God I feel like a kid again."

"Why?" The younger man giggled curiously, setting the empty grocery bag down on the side. "Because it's all exciting and new?" He queried, as he pulled himself up onto the counter, opening up his box of cookies on his lap. "Because you're all nervous and shy about what to do and what's appropriate?"

"Pretty much." He nodded up at him.

"Don't be," Greg crunched a cookie into his mouth then offered one to Nick, but he shook his head. "Nothing really has to change between us, Nicky. And we really don't have to rush into this. I want you, but I can wait. We still have more pancakes from I-HOP to taste. We should make a list of things you want to accomplish. You're not gonna die any time soon, but if you want more from your life, we should probably get to that first." He suggested, dropping crumbs on Nick's kitchen floor. "Sorry, I'll clean that up."

"Don't worry about it." He smiled up at him.

"Okay, well about the list thing. My Dad went through this kinda midlife crisis thing after I left for college. He bought a sports car, finally took up golf, skiing and he took my Mom on a month long vacation to Hawaii, where we had been a few times before. He told me that reality set in, realising that he had wasted half his life away working to earn money, money he never spent. You know he was never really there much during my childhood," Nick nodded to him, finally reaching for a cookie, as the little chocolate smears around Greg's mouth looked really advertising. "Well he really started to make up for it afterwards. He paid for a vacation to Hawaii with me and my friends when I was on summer break from college. We went surfing, swimming, snorkelling and there's these really cool make out spots where you can watch the sunset going down." Greg explained, getting lost in the memory of the best vacation of his life again. "But anyway, you could totally do that, the list thing."

"You want me to make a list of things I wonna do?"

"Yep. And I, as your best friend and possible future boyfriend will help you to do, whatever you wonna do."

"Okay, I'm definitely puttin' a vacation to Hawaii on the list though." Nick winked at him, pulling himself up onto the counter beside Greg as he reached for another cookie. "Maybe you'd want to come with me on that one?"

"Planning a vacation with me before our first date, even our first kiss?" Greg smiled round at him, reaching his thumb out to gently brush the chocolaty smear from Nick's lower lip. "Sounds good to me, Nicky."

Nick beamed a wide luscious smile back at Greg, adoring the younger man even more.

For the first time since he got out of the coffin, he felt like he was living his life and that's exactly what he planned to do from this point onwards. No more waiting around for things to happen to him. He was going to take point on all the decision making in his own life, starting with Greg.

* * *

**Slightly shorter chapter, but it covers a lot of ground. I hope you enjoyed this one. The triplets will be explained later on, don't you worry. It's meant to be a surprise, and it won't be if I tell you before its all explained in the story :D At the moment, you're all as clueless as Nicky, and that's the way I want it :D lol**

**Thanks for reading and please remember to review!**

**~ Holly**


	5. Chapter 4: That's it

**Chapter Four: That's it**

Finishing off the paperwork on his desk, Grissom glanced up as he spotted Sara leant against the frame of his door. "Oh, been there long?" Sara shook her head, taking a few steps into the room, until she was directly in front of his desk. "Whatsup, you need help with something?" He queried.

"No, we're just finishing off the paperwork for the, Jared Silverlake case." She indicated towards the layout room across the hall, where Catherine, Warrick and Greg were still sat, working on the last minute details. "We've found five more cases that relate to his other victims. The MO is the same and they're all unsolved."

"Oh." He nodded, removing the glasses from his face, as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "So, whatsup with you, Sara? You look like you have something on your mind."

"Just Nick," Dropping down into one of the empty seats in front of his desk, Sara gave out a soft sigh. "I'm worried about him. Are you sure he's ready to come back?"

"It's been nearly a month, Sara. The psychiatrists all say he's doing fine; he's not pill popping or anything. He'll just have to take it slow when he gets back, but you know Nick, he's gonna be fine." He assured her, giving her a slight smile. "I'd like to really close up this case with Jared Silverlake, though."

"Yeah," Sara agreed, climbing to her feet. "We'll get right on that." She gave him a slight smile, before she turned and made her way back across the hall towards the layout room. The first word she heard as she entered the room was 'handcuffs', making her look curiously between them all. "Did I hear handcuffs? Another one of your sexcapades, Greg?" She presumed, automatically looking towards him.

"Me? Whys everything always about me?"

"As if you don't already know," Warrick answered the young CSI's question with a loud belly laugh. "No Sara, we were talking about the case. The handcuffs used to restrain victim number four," He handed over the file to her. "They had some trace on them that Hodges identified as wool from a poncho found in the apartment of this victim." He handed her another picture. "We can officially link these two women to Jared Silverlake, now."

"Oh," Sara dropped into her seat beside Greg, looking through the photographs in front of her. "How is it that he kills all these women in a blood soaked poncho and no one ever notices? The first one we found was dated eight years ago."

"People don't notice everything about other people." Greg commented, resting on his elbow as he filled out the report of some evidence he had yet to file away, as he had been so busy with the triplets and Nick.

"Well, the poncho was found at his apartment, but the guy bleached the damn thing so all the blood evidence on the poncho..."

"Can everybody _please_ stop saying poncho!" Greg suddenly snapped, loudly clattering his pen to the table in front of him, as the word kept reminding him of that night. Anxiously rubbing his hands through his hair, Greg looked up at their wide eyed reactions, suggesting, "Can you just say... throw or something." Everyone looked at him surprised by his outburst then slowly began to turn their gaze back towards the case files in front of them.

"Okay... well the throw," Warrick looked towards Greg, before he continued, "All the blood evidence on it was completely destroyed, so we can't prove that it's any of these victims blood."

"We've got his DNA on a few of them though." Sara reminded him, resting her head in her hands as she re-read through an old report.

"Hey, do we still have the poncho... I mean the throw in evidence?" Catherine nervously looked towards Greg, as he flinched at the sound of the word again. Sara nodded to her, pointing to one of the boxes down the end of the table.

"Whatcha looking for?" Warrick queried, as she snapped on some latex gloves to open it up and take a look.

"There's an odd void pattern on one of these girls shirts. She doesn't have any of his DNA on her, so maybe it's the patterned material from his pon... throw." Catherine explained, checking the pattern on the poncho for herself.

"Hey Greg, did you wonna take a break?" Sara suggested, seeing the exhausted look in his eyes.

"No, I'm fine." He assured her, immediately giving out a yawn, right after he spoke.

"We've still got six more hours of this crap." Catherine complained, flipping her long hair back over her shoulder. "Why do we all have to work on old cold cases, while Ecklie's team get all the new ones? I've been here for twenty years; those guys couldn't find their assholes with a map and a mirror." Catherine looked up at the table, looking at the wide eyed expressions of Sara, Warrick and Greg. "What? Don't tell me you weren't thinking it."

All three of them simultaneously shook their heads.

"Relax Cath, the quicker we get through all the stuff, the quicker we can get back out on the field." Warrick assured her, tossing his empty pen into the bin, before he grabbed one sat in front of Greg to finish writing his report.

"My hands cramping." Greg dropped his pen to the table again, immediately noticing Nick walking through the halls of the lab with Ecklie and Grissom stood either side of him. Nick casually looked into the room towards Greg, giving him a slight smile as they locked eyes.

"Hey Greggy, quitting times not for another couple of hours." Catherine giggled as the younger man looked round at her flustered, as she caught onto the look between the two men.

"You know, you guys never told me how much report writing was involved in this field CSI stuff." Greg complained, as he rubbed his cramped hand, ignoring Catherine's comment and assumption.

"Sorry Greggo, must of slipped our minds." Warrick smirked, reaching for a photo across the table from him. "Hey, didn't we have another one with this same bruise pattern?"

"Yeah." Catherine grabbed it from her side of the table, handing it over to him. "When we got the search warrant for Jared's house, we found the baseball bat with that impression on it."

"Who logged it?" He queried, watching Catherine's finger pointing towards Greg. "You got it there, Greggo?"

"The bat itself is in evidence." Greg handed over the photo of it. "Wendy found several samples of DNA all over it. The sweat and saliva was all Jared Silverlake's, and she managed to isolate eight strands of female DNA." He handed over the results for the DNA to Warrick. "Six of them unknown."

"I'll go give her these," Sara picked up the stack of possible related cases then climbed to her feet. "Maybe we can match up some more with these past cases." The three of them watched her go then dropped their heads back into their hands, getting back to work.

"So, who is your _latest_ conquest, Greggo?" Warrick curiously queried, as Greg had been so quiet all day. It just wasn't like him at all.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" He grinned round at him, raising his eyebrows slightly. "Whatever you may think of me, who I date are more than just _conquests _to me." He informed him.

"Like Candy?" Catherine giggled, joining in with the conversation. "You dated her what, like five minutes?"

"That was Cand_ice_ for your information, and it was two weeks, not five minutes. We went on eight dates in total, two of which she paid for." He informed her, resting on his elbow. "And I dumped her anyway; she was too involved with her work."

"What did she do?" Warrick queried, glad to have Greg talking again, but instead of answering this time, Greg pointed to the hall as a young brunette lab technician with square black framed glasses and her long hair up in a ponytail walked by. Warrick and Catherine both turned their heads to look, catching a shy little wave the lab tech directed in Greg's direction. "And you dumped her?" Warrick asked shocked. "What the hell man? She's... cute."

"Married man." Catherine pointed to his ring, giving him a scowl as he was always looking at everyone else but her.

"What? I can say she's cute without having any intention to date her." Warrick smirked then looked towards Greg again. "Why the hell did you dump that? You coulda actually be considered a ladies' man if you held onto her."

"Because... she's more of the girl you want as your friend, rather than the girl you wonna date." Greg explained, thinking it was really because he had his sights set on someone else. "She's really nice. She's just... _too_ nice. And at least I don't marry the first one night stand that gives me the time of day."

Warrick belly laughed again, shaking his head at the younger man. "I was dating her just over a year before I married her. She was never a one night stand; I don't _do_ one night stands. That's Nick's thing." He pointed out to him. "Tina and I had a relationship _before_ the marriage, and we both agreed to the quickie marriage. I don't see us ever splitting up, so why shouldn't we be getting married."

"My marriage with Eddie was kinda like that, the beginning of it I mean." Catherine spoke up. "We were just two kids crazy in love; we thought the only thing to do next _was_ to get married. Our marriage tore apart way before we had Lindsey though. We were constantly fighting, and he was constantly cheating on me." She sighed heavily, spoiling Warrick's happy mood over his new marriage. "I'm sorry. I'm sure you guys are gonna be okay though. You're both older and more mature for starters. Eddie and I were both still young when we made the decision to marry."

Greg looked between the two of them wide eyed, "See, this is why I never wonna get married. You either ruin a perfectly good relationship that had nothing wrong with it before you put a ring on one another's finger."

"Hey, it's not all doom and gloom, Sanders." Warrick chortled softly at the young man who had yet to experience true love. "Marriage is the highest form of love, man; you don't get any higher than that."

"So, would you die for Yoko? Would you literally cut your own heart out to express your forever undying love to her?" Greg queried, swivelling his chair around to face Warrick as he hesitated to answer the question.

"Aww, leave him alone, Greggy. He's at the beginning of his love with Tina. Newlyweds go through so many rough patches at the beginning; it's the ones that really want their relationship to work out that last." She spoke from her own experience, as she brushed her fingers through her hair. "You'll experience love one day Greggy, then you'll be all mixed emotions like Warrick."

"Who says I haven't experienced love?" He asked them both, watching the suspicious looks between the two of them. "What?"

"It's just a vibe, Greggo." Warrick gave him a half smile, before he glanced down at the paperwork in front of him.

"I'll be right back." Catherine picked up a file as she climbed to her feet, slowly heading off towards Hodges' lab across the hall.

"Are you still sweet on, Nick?" Warrick suddenly asked Greg, once Catherine was out the room. "C'mon Greggo, I saw you at the hospital." He smiled, as he saw Greg's surprised reaction. "I know he's my best friend and all, but he doesn't have his head together lately, Greg. It wouldn't be fair on him if you were to abuse your friendship in his vulnerable state."

"I wouldn't do that to, Nick." Greg assured him, surprised that Warrick would even think that of him. "You really have no idea how much I care about him, if you think I'd do that to him."

Warrick looked at the soulful look in Greg's eyes, about to say something back to him when Catherine walked back into the room. "Hey, that was a total bust." She sighed heavily, dropping back into her seat.

Leaning back in his chair, Warrick gave out a heavy sigh as he brushed his fingers through his own dishevelled hair. "Damn, I need some coffee."

"I'll get it." Greg jumped to his feet, recapping the pen in his hands and dropping it to the table, before he hurried off towards the door. Greg smiled as he passed Sara in the hall, heading straight towards the break room to brew some of his coffee.

"Hey, Nick's here." Archie told the young ex-lab rat, as he followed after him into the break room.

"Yeah, I saw." Greg nodded round to him, leaning back against the counter behind, him while he waited for the coffee pot to boil. "You know, I've gotta date with him in the morning."

"A date? Like a real date, date?" The computer expert who accidentally discovered Greg's secret asked surprised. "I thought you... and he..."

"Well no, it's not a date, date." Greg confessed, folding his arms across his chest. "But last night he called me and asked me out to breakfast. He's gonna pick me up after work and pay for everything. That's pretty much a date, right?"

"The sentimental cowboy strikes Greg's heart again." Pretending his finger was an arrow, Archie poked it to his heart, giving Greg a dreamy sigh, before he chortled softly to himself. "You've got the worst crush on that man, Greg. If you're gonna date him, you should both know it's a date first."

"Oh yeah, and when's the last time you had a date that didn't involve one of your cyber nerds?" Greg retorted.

"Point taken." Archie nodded to him, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. "But from the looks of things, looks like this whole coffin experience has given Nick a whole new perspective on his life, huh?"

"How do you know that?"

"I just heard him talking to Grissom; he's taking a month off work to get his head on straight. If you're part of this getting his head on straight plan..."

"Don't go there." Greg interjected him. "I don't think... you know, that Nick's really into me like that. It's just breakfast." He decided to protect Nick, as he had promised that he wouldn't spread rumours about them through the lab. "He did tell me a few things that he wants to do, not to me, but with his life since he got out the coffin." Greg explained, trying not to reveal too much of Nick's secrets, as he poured out the coffee into the mugs. "That wasn't very subtle was it?" He muttered, sighing heavily as Archie gave him a wide smile.

Archie shook his head. "You don't seem too happy about this Greg, considering you've been waiting for it to happen... oh for the last, five years." The lab tech smirked, leaning against the counter beside Greg. "Isn't this what you always wanted?"

"Kinda, but maybe five years wasn't long enough." He sighed softly, grabbing a clean spoon to stir the coffees. "I'm really nervous. You know me, I don't get nervous. It's not in my Greg Sanders nature."

"Granted, but you've never dated a best friend before, Greg." He pointed out to him, uncapping his bottle of water. "You need to make some tough choices, Greg. You're probably nervous because its Nick, you're afraid you'll screw up or something. Would you rather Nick was your lover . . . or just your best friend, forever?"

"Well," Greg licked the roof of his mouth as he thought things over then gave the computer nerd a wide smile. "You're right, I am nervous because it's, Nick. I _would_ rather he was my lover, but being his best friend forever isn't exactly a bad thing." Greg sighed softly in disappointment. "Then again, it kinda is."

"The good thing is, if the relationship tanks you won't have to see Nick for much longer."

"What, why?" Greg looked round at him surprised.

"I heard that Ecklie is putting Nick in counselling. He has to prove he's sane enough to start work again." Archie explained, turning round to search the fridge for something to snack on, before he got back to work. "I heard he has to pass a series of psych evaluations too."

"Does he really think he's nuts? There's nothing wrong with Nick," Greg defended his almost boyfriend, folding his arms angrily across his chest. "Besides the nightmares and things, he's pretty much the same ole Nick."

"Not my words, man." Archie defended himself. "After the counselling passes through, I heard that he's giving him three months after that to prove himself." Greg looked at him wide eyed. "Maybe I should go and let you talk this all out with Nick, huh?"

"Don't move." Greg stopped him there, blocking his exit to the door. "Is Ecklie really thinking of getting rid of Nick just because he got kidnapped which was totally not his fault?"

"That's what I heard." Archie nodded to him, gulping nervously. "Don't kill me Greg, I'm just the messenger."

"No, I wasn't going to." Greg assured him, quickly rushing back to the coffees to finish them off. "Hey, do you know where Nick is? Did you see where he went?"

"Yeah, he was just leaving. Heading towards the elevators last I saw."

"Thank you," Greg winked at him then picked up all the coffee cups, quickly heading off towards the layout room to hand them out.

"Hey, what's the rush Greggo?" Warrick jumped back as Greg almost spilt the hot liquid across his lap.

"Sorry, I just remembered something I gotta do... really important." Greg set down a coffee in front of Sara and Catherine then hurried out the door, rushing off to find Nick in the parking lot before he left.

* * *

Climbing into the front seat of his truck, Nick slotted the keys into the ignition, giving out a heavy sigh, as he turned the engine on. He was considering heading over to the women's correctional facility to see the daughter of the man that he almost died for. He wasn't pretending to understand her father's intentions; he just needed to see her, to make sure that she didn't blame herself for something her father had done.

Glancing up as he lights of his truck came on, Nick spotted Greg rushing towards him, waving frantically so he would see him. "Greg?" He frowned confused as the younger man rushed around to the passenger's side of his truck then quickly climbed in, taking a seat to talk to him. "Greg, whatsup?"

Panting heavily from his running down the thousands of flights of stairs as the elevators were all in use, Greg let out a huge sigh then looked into Nick's eyes. "Is Ecklie... seriously... firing you?" He panted from the exhaustion.

"He's considerin' it." The older man nodded to him. "Provided I don't pass the psych eval, I'm pretty much out for good." When Nick saw the younger mans worried look, he smiled softly, reaching out for Greg's hand in his own. "Greg, have a little faith in me. I'm not crazy. I'm workin' on gettin' my head together, and you're really helpin' me."

"But I am worried... without a job... what are you gonna do?" He continued to pant heavily.

"Greg, you don't need to worry about me. I'm gonna pass this psych eval and prove Ecklie wrong into thinkin' that I'm some nut job because of what happened to me, okay? I'm glad you're so worried about me, but you really don't need to be." He assured him, giving out a soft sigh as he weaved his fingers between Greg's. "I can work this out, Greg. If my career really is over, I can find another job. I don't want my job to be my life. I want other things."

"Okay." Greg sighed in relief, gently brushing his thumb across the back of Nick's hand. "So, what's this about you taking a month off?"

"Oh, that was Griss' idea. I don't know what I'm gonna do with myself for a whole month, but I'm sure I'll think of somethin' to occupy my time." He smiled in Greg's direction. "Really Greg, I'm fine. I don't want you to get fired for slackin' off with me, so go." Reluctantly letting go of the younger man's hand, Nick gave him a wide smile as he looked up into his eyes. "I'll pick you up after your shift and take you out for that breakfast, like I promised you. We'll try the bacon and cheese pancakes this time."

"Okay, you know that I don't care how quickly or slowly things between us progress, but you can talk to me about anything." Greg assured him. "I had to find this out from Archie. You can still tell me stuff. We're _still_ best friends. I never want that to change."

"It won't. I promise. And of course we're still best friends," Nick nodded in agreement. "Bein' together romantically won't change the friendship we already have. It will only make us stronger. Are you worried about our breakfast date? We don't have to go if you _really_ don't want to. We've been out to breakfast..."

"I definitely want to." Greg interrupted him, giving him a slight demure smile. "I just had to check that... you know, that things between our friendship wouldn't change."

"Believe me Greg; I know what you're worryin' about. It's part of the reason that I never... told you before. This won't affect our friendship, not if we really care about each other." He tried to explain, leaning against the steering wheel in front of him as he looked round at Greg. "The last thing I want is to ruin our friendship, and I wouldn't do anythin' to put it in jeopardy. I have really strong feelin's for you, and I know in my heart it's gonna work out."

"Okay, thanks for clearing that up." Greg breathed out a breath of relief, cursing Archie for putting doubt in his mind. "Where are you going now then?"

"Um... I was gonna head over to the correctional facility to see Kelly." Greg gave him a curious look. "I know you said I don't owe her anythin', I just wonna talk to her. It's not her fault her father's a psycho, G."

"Was I complaining? I'm just not so sure that you can handle it... emotionally." He explained, watching Nick giving him a pouty look. Placing his hand over Nick's on the steering wheel, he gave the older man a soft smile. "I fully support your big hearts decision to make sure that this girl isn't guilt tripping herself over something her father did to you." He assured him, brushing his fingertips across the back of Nick's hand in flirtatious swirls. "I love that you have such a big heart Nicky, most people wouldn't even care about her." Greg reached his arms out around Nick's neck, leaning across the middle of the car as he gave him a big hug. "Hey, call me if you need me. I'll be there in a flash."

"Okay." Nick smiled, gently tapping the younger man on the back as he clutched him tightly. "I'll be fine, G. I'm just gonna talk to her." He assured him.

"Okay." Greg slowly leant forwards, pressing a delicate kiss to Nick's temple as he sensed the older man still wasn't ready for a real smooch to the lips. He gave him a wide smile as he pulled back then reached for the door handle behind him, slowly climbing out of Nick's truck. "Bye Nicky, be careful." He warned him, before he closed the door then slowly made his way off towards the elevator this time, as he wasn't exactly in a hurry to get back to work with the others in the layout room.

* * *

Entering the women's correctional facility, Nick stuffed his hands deep into his jeans pockets, heading off towards the visitors room. He felt more than a little claustrophobic in the cramped hallways of the correctional facility, shivering in fear as there were no windows and the air was difficult to breathe in. His hands were anxiously shaking; the hairs on the back of his neck were sticking to his skin from all the sweat and his heart was pounding heavily as one of the guards directed him off towards a seat. He slowly took a seat on the chair, watching the window in front of him as a guard slowly escorted Kelly Gordon, inmate number 'two – two – three – two' to her chair. She took a moment to look at Nick then reluctantly took her seat, avoiding direct eye contact with him.

Nick motioned towards the phone on the wall, picking it up from his side then patiently waited for Kelly to do the same. Giving out a heavy sigh, she reluctantly reached for it on her side and brought it up to her ear. "You the one?" She immediately asked him.

"Yeah." Nick cleared his throat, as his voice was still a little shaky. "Yeah, I am. Back at you." He smiled slightly at the irony of the situation.

Kelly stared at his facial expression for the longest moment, noting his slight difficulty in breathing, as he vulnerably looked around at the low ceilings and windowless walls. "I never got your name." She spoke up.

"Oh... I'm Nick Stokes." He introduced himself, trying to stop his shaky breath from hissing into the phone. "Look, Kelly..."

"What do you want me to say? I'm sorry?" She interrupted him, acting as though she didn't care, but Nick could see her eyes were glazed over and her lower lip was trembling slightly.

"No." Shaking his head, Nick gulped hard. "You didn't do anythin' to me Kelly. And what your father did to me, I... I guess he did it 'cause he loves you so much."

Kelly looked up at Nick, directly into his eyes for the first time. Her eyebrows furrowed together as she looked at him. She didn't want to believe what he was saying or hear it, so she went to put the phone down, wanting to leave.

"Hey, Kelly! Kelly!" Nick tried to stop her, barely holding it together himself as he motioned towards the phone she had put down. "C'mon Kelly, pick it up."

Grudgingly, Kelly picked up the phone, holding it to her ear again. "Look... Nick, I'm not your friend. I'm not gonna apologise for something..."

"I know . . . and I wasn't expectin' you to." He assured her, biting back his emotions. "I don't want an apology from you. You didn't do anythin' to me." Leaning forwards, Nick breathed out a soft sigh, before he spoke, "Kelly, in a few months . . . when you get out of here . . . don't take this with you. Just leave it behind. You're not responsible for what happened to me."

Nick watched her phone holding hand shaking slightly then saw her teeth anxiously biting her lower lip, as her eyes slowly moved to meet his own. "That's it?" She dismissed him.

"Yeah. Yeah, that's it." He nodded.

Kelly quickly put the phone down then loudly scraped her chair back, looking towards the guard that had escorted her in. "We're done." She stated.

Nick watched her walking away, still holding the phone in his hand. He took a moment to think, whispering, "That's it," under his breath as thousands of emotions swept over him all at once. Hanging up the phone, Nick wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his jacket then slowly stood up to leave, whispering, "That's it," as he turned towards the exit.

The guards escorted Kelly Gordon down the long hallway back to her cell, uncuffing her hands, before she stepped inside her cell, immediately heading over to her bunk. The guard locked the cell door then made her way off down the hall, with the keys on her belt jingling together as they walked.

Kelly leant back against the wall behind her, clutching a pillow tightly to her chest. She stared off into space as she thought about what Nick had said, feeling her heart rapidly pounding against the surface of her chest, as she wanted to punish Nick for what had happened to her father, but she couldn't hold Nick responsible now that she had met him.

* * *

Meanwhile, Nick headed back to his car, lethargically dropping into his driver's seat where he sat for the longest moment thinking, trying to catch his breath after having a near panic attack. He placed one hand over his chest as his heart felt as though it was ready to explode, and a cold sticky sweat poured its way down his chest, making the healing bug bites start to itch.

Inhaling deeper breaths, Nick's windows started to steam up as his breathing became more rapid. As the realisation of the small space he was in dawned on him, Nick immediately threw open the door, taking a step outside the car to inhale deep breaths of the fresh air outside. Instead of slowing down though, his breathing only quickened as he rested his hands on his knees, struggling to keep it together as he still had to get back home to pick up Greg from work.

"Mr Stokes?" One of the correctional facility officers had noticed him from the main office, quickly hurrying over to him, as he appeared to be in distress. "Mr Stokes, are you alright?" She asked him concerned.

Nick could only shake his head, as he could feel his lungs contracting inside his chest. He was now fighting to relax and the desperate need of oxygen that his body was straining for.

"Take a seat." She supported his weight as she helped him to sit down on the parking lot floor. "Deep breaths, Mr Stokes, that's it. You know I never got your first name. It starts with an N right?"

"N-Nick." He whispered to the middle aged woman, as his breathing hissed from his dry throat.

"Okay Nick, I'm Dawn." She introduced herself, brushing back her dark brown pony tail of hair as she took a seat beside him. "Relax your shoulders Nick, you wonna take big deep breaths, hun."

As a frequent sufferer of panic attacks herself since the day she was attacked and raped, Dawn knew just how to relax someone, as she had been self soothing for so long. Watching Nick's tense shoulders slowly relaxing, she gave him a gentle smile as he tried to take deeper breaths instead of the short choppy ones that were only making him more panicked.

"Purse your lips together as if you're blowing a candle, sweetheart. That's it. So were you here visiting a friend?" She tried to take his mind off it, as her trainer had taught her. Nick shook his head to her, indicating towards his CSI badge clipped to his jacket pocket. "Oh a CSI, here I was thinking you were too cute to be one of those boys."

"Thanks... I'm taken." He gave her a half smile, feeling his heart beginning to calm down.

"Oh I thought you might, good looking boys like you don't stay open on the market for too long." She chortled softly. "That's it, keep breathing like that, hun." She continued to sooth him. "Do you have any medication or anything with you?"

Nick shook his head; starting to wish he had paid more attention to the therapist he had been seeing, so he would know how to deal with this himself, instead of feeling completely embarrassed in front of a stranger.

"Do you know what caused this, hun?"

"I have... an idea." He nodded to her, beginning to feel even more embarrassed for having a panic attack in front of her. "I was... recent-ly... buried alive." He slowly started to explain, figuring he could trust a total stranger, as she was helping him to breathe, rather than trying to hurt him.

* * *

"Hey Greggy," Catherine caught up to Greg in the locker room after shift, watching the younger man pulling his jacket on. "How's Nicky doing?"

"Okay I guess, I'm about to meet him for breakfast." Pushing his locker shut, Greg straightened out the hood of his sweatshirt beneath his jacket then lifted his foot up onto the bench to tighten his laces. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh... because I saw you kiss him in the parking lot." She rather bluntly explained. Greg looked round at her wide eyed, dropping his jaw at how casually she had said it. "I meant to break that to you more subtle, but I've been holding onto it since I saw you four hours ago." She smiled softly as she took a few steps closer towards him. "I apologise in advance if I'm totally off base, but I saw the two of you in his hospital room too, when you were sat side by side on the bed. If I'm making a terrible judgement call here, let me know."

"No." Greg put his foot back on the floor, feeling his heart pounding in his chest. "You're actually... right. You seriously can't let onto Nick that you know though. He's seriously die if you knew."

"Relax Greggy, who am I gonna tell? From the moment I saw you in that hospital room, the two of you looked positively adorable." Catherine gave him a soft smile, gently rubbing her palm across his shoulder. "So, did this all start up after he was rescued?"

"Sorta." The younger man shrugged to her. "Nick is having a really hard time with it, and if he finds out that you know, he'll run back to his closet and dead bolt the door."

"I won't say a word." She assured him, pulling the younger man into a gentle motherly hug. "Truth be told, I've been waiting for the two of you to stop flirting with one another already and get your heads together."

"You have?" Greg cocked one of his eyebrows up, giving her a curious look. "You knew the feelings between the two of us were mutual and you didn't bother to tell me?" He grinned up at her, as the blood flushed from her face. "Relax Catherine, I was teasing. Just getting a few licks in, before you start teasing me about dating the office jock."

"Oh." She smiled at him. "Nicky's not a jock, he's a nice old fashioned guy. And he better treat you right. You better go though," She tapped her watch as she noticed the time. "Can't be late."

"Nope." Greg brushed his fingers through his hair then checked his locker was closed before he turned towards the door. "Hey Catherine, thanks for not... you know, poking fun of me." Catherine gave the young man a warm smile. "Most people think just because I'm a jokester that they can't hurt my feelings by poking fun of me all the time."

"You deserve to be happy with Nick; don't let anyone tell you different, Greg."

Greg nodded to her with a grateful smile then made his way off towards the parking lot, immediately smiling as he spotted Nick just pulling in with his truck. The sentimental cowboy returned his warm smile then pushed the passenger side door open for him, like a perfect gentleman. "Hi, I had a better idea." Nick held up a box from I-HOP, as Greg climbed into his truck. "I know you've seen the sunset in Hawaii, but have you ever seen it rise from Lake Mead?" He queried, his breathing much calmer now thanks to the help of Dawn.

Greg grinned widely at him, feeling his heart soaring inside of his chest as his new boyfriend was so romantic. "That's it." He declared with a wide smile.

"What's it?" Nick looked at him confused.

"I am declaring you as the _best_ boyfriend I'm ever gonna have." Greg dreamily smiled, pulling his seatbelt on so Nick could drive them off to their first date.

* * *

**Thanks so much for all of your reviews so far! I'm really glad you're enjoying this story. I hope the panic attack seemed real enough, as a frequent sufferer myself due to asthma, I tried to think back to how I felt during them, but it's actually really hard to write it down, because it basically feels like you're dying or something.**

**I hope you got the sense of what Nick was going through though.**

**Thanks so much for reading, please review if you enjoyed it :D**

**~ Holly**


	6. Chapter 5: Triple Trouble

**Chapter Five: Triple Trouble**

Holding Nick's quivering body against him in his surprisingly strong arms, Greg pressed his lips to the top of his head, as he whispered, "It's okay . . . Shh Nicky . . . it's okay." Closing his eyes against Nick's soft hair, Greg gently rocked him in his embrace, wishing there was something else he could do to calm him down.

Gently brushing his hand across Nick's sticky forehead, Greg tightened his arms around him as the older man's fragile body continued to shiver in the younger man's embrace. "Just take slow deep breaths." He instructed, continuing to sooth him. "Slow breaths, Nicky. It's okay."

Nick inhaled slow steady deep breaths against Greg's chest, glad he stayed over after all as he really needed him to calm him down after yet another nightmare.

After a few more minutes of gently rocking Nick in his warm embrace, he felt the vulnerable man's breathing and heart rate slowly calming down. When he was first awoken by Nick's screams, he thought it was his own nightmare, but when he came rushing into Nick's bedroom to check on him, his heart almost stopped dead in his chest as he saw how scared and threatened Nick looked, fighting with the covers on his bed as if he was suffocating.

Feathering his fingers through Nick's sweaty head of hair, Greg gently touched his lips to Nick's hairline, looking down into the older man's eyes. "Hey, you okay?" He whispered, as Nick slowly raised his head to look up at him, after his shaking, slowly began to subside.

Nick nodded slightly, gulping hard against him. "Y-eah." His voice croaked. "Yeah... I'm okay, G."

"You scared me." Wrapping his arms around the heaving chest against him, Greg rested his chin against Nick's forehead, counting his pounding heartbeats against his arms. "Do you want me to get your pills or anything?" He suggested.

Nick shook his head, as he rested back against Greg's chest behind him, relaxing as the younger man's strong arms tightened against him, making him feel safe and secure. He was once again thankful that Greg was a man, as he enjoyed the strong comfort of a man, so much more than the weak touch of a woman.

"I'm so glad you're here." Nick closed his eyes, mindlessly swirling his fingertips across the arms wrapped around him. "Speakin' of, what _are_ you doin' in my bed, G?" He grinned up at him. "Admit it, you couldn't keep your hands off me, could yah?"

"Hey, I was on the couch fast asleep, until I heard you screaming." Greg gently smoothed one of his palms up and down Nick's knotted with emotions back, grazing his lips across the side of his head again. "I couldn't leave you to scream your way through the rest of it. It was too heart breaking."

"I was teasin'." Sliding his hand across Greg's arm, Nick slid his fingers between Greg's, clutching his hand tightly. "Thanks for bein' here, Greg." He thanked him again, feeling as though he owed so much to Greg already.

"You're welcome; you want me to get you anything? Water, coffee... hot chocolate?"

Nick shook his head, burrowing deeper into Greg's warm embrace. "Can you stay with me... here I mean, until I fall asleep?" Nick whispered to him. Greg looked round at the time then lay back against Nick's pillows, still holding the older man in his arms as they both lay down together. "I'm not crushin' you am I?" He suddenly asked.

"Nope." Greg assured him, gently brushing Nick's sticky hair off his forehead. "I'm fine." Resting his head against the side of Nick's, Greg held his shivering form against him tightly, readjusting the covers around them both, so Nick could get back to sleep in his arms. Greg was soon to follow, as he was completely exhausted after the double shift he had just pulled at work.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Nick was the first to awake, feeling a little embarrassed as his hand was directly over the top of Greg's crotch and their mouths were just a few millimetres apart. Nick quickly moved his hand away, looking up into Greg's eyes to make sure he was still asleep, before he climbed out from under the covers and off the bed.

Greg gave out a soft delicate moan as he readjusted himself against the pillows beneath his head, not noticing Nick's warmth was missing from the bed or his arms, as he continued to soundly sleep on from his exhaustion.

Nick watched him a moment as he had never taken the time to admire Greg when he was so still. When he was awake he was always bouncing around, smiling and hard to keep up with like a hyper child, but while he was sleeping, he was so still and innocent, like an untouched angel sent down from heaven.

Nick smiled as he admired the younger man's soft delicate features. He was very fond of the gentle curves of his cheek bones and his soft pouting lips that he had been dying to kiss for years. He especially loved the adorable little clusters of moles and the way his exquisite spiky hair topped off his boyishly cute, good looks.

Before Greg could wake up and notice Nick staring at him, Nick scurried off to the kitchen to get himself a glass of water, feeling the sweat beneath his t-shirt starting to itch. Catching sight of his reflection in the door of the microwave, Nick noticed his hair was all messed up and he had a much paler complexion then what he was used to. He glanced out the window as something caught his eye, catching sight of the neighbour's kid sat on the curb, tossing a tennis ball around with her dog.

The unhappy child from next door tossed the tennis ball back every time her dog brought it back to her, with a glum expression on her face. Nick knew that her parents fought a lot, he could always hear them yelling at one another and he knew the effect that arguing parents had on a child as young as Elisa was, making him concerned about her unhappy mood.

Elisa's shaggy dog Bongo hurried back towards her again, dropping the ball at her feet. When Elisa didn't go to pick it up again, Bongo tilted his head to the side, looking up at her curiously. Nick watched as Elisa suddenly threw her arms around the dog's neck, hugging him tightly. He smiled at the simple act, recalling his own childhood memories from back on the ranch in Texas, where his dog was his only best friend too.

Nick slowly turned back for the bedroom, finding Greg now lying on his stomach across the middle of the bed, still soundly sleeping. For the first time in weeks Greg didn't look so exhausted and Nick didn't feel as guilty for causing him to be so tired all the time.

Gently lowering himself onto the bed beside Greg, Nick feathered his fingertips through the younger man's dishevelled hair then snuggled closer against him, draping one arm around his slender figure, something that seemed so unnatural just a few days ago, but it now felt incredibly right.

Fluttering his eyes open as the bright sunlight poured in through the window across the room, Greg gave out a wide yawn then rolled over onto his back, crashing into Nick's warm body beside him. He gave his bed mate a soft smile as he saw that he was wide awake, then readjusted himself against the mattress beside him. "Hey."

"Hey you." Nick smiled down at him; leaning up on one of his elbows, as he brushed his fingers from his other hand through Greg's cute little dishevelled spikes of hair. "You look incredibly cute in the mornin's, G."

"Oh really?" Greg watched Nick's cheeks lightly flushing, after such a brave statement. "You look pretty cute yourself there, Nicky." He smiled back, brushing his fingers through Nick's messy hair. "Did you have a nice sleep?"

"Much better with you here." He nodded, feeling less nervous around Greg in a romantic way, as he felt so right being so close to him. "Catherine called earlier; she said you don't have to come into work tonight, as they've got everythin' covered, so you can spend the day off with me." Greg smiled up at him then looked towards the time. "You were doin' that all day yesterday. Am I borin' you, G?"

"No." Greg sighed softly, readjusting himself again as his thigh brushed against Nick's. "You're not boring me at all. I just..."

"Just tell me what's wrong, G." He interrupted him as he seemed to be having some trouble getting his sentence out. "Do you have somewhere else to be?"

Greg nervously bit his lower lip then nodded up at him. "Yeah actually . . . I have to pick the triplets up from Pre-K at two o'clock today." Nick looked down at him with his eyebrows slightly raised and a confused expression on his face. "You can come with me if you want, and I'll explain everything I swear."

"Um... okay."

"Mind if I use your bathroom?"

"No, help yourself." Nick moved back to give Greg some room, watching Greg uncomfortably wriggling in his tight jeans as he climbed off the bed and hurried towards the bathroom over the other side of his room. Within a few minutes, Greg came back from the bathroom, dropping to the edge of Nick's bed to put his sneakers on, while Nick continued to give him a curious look.

"Your car or mine?"

"You've got an hour, G." Nick pointed to the clock.

"Oh yeah, I know that. I'll make coffee while you decide." Greg leant across him to touch his lips to Nick's forehead, giving him a sweet little smile. "You might wonna wash your hair too." He pointed out to him, as it was still sweaty. "You want help?"

"I think I can wash my own hair, Greg. I am thirty four years old after all." He smirked, returning the kiss to the younger man's forehead, before he climbed off the bed, heading straight for the bathroom.

Greg smiled after him then made his way into the kitchen, preparing some coffee and frying up some omelettes ready for Nick after his shower.

Once Nick got out the shower, he dried his hair then got dressed, joining Greg at the breakfast counter, just in time for their late lunch. "Mmm, that smells delicious." Nick rasped as Greg set a plate down in front of him.

"Mmm, so does your hair." Greg grinned, taking a bigger whiff of his luscious head of hair, as he stepped around him to take a seat beside him. "So you don't mind coming with me to pick up the triplets?"

"No." Nick shook his head, still curious to know who these triplets were and what their relation to Greg was, but he remained silent about it, knowing Greg would explain everything to him when he was ready.

* * *

"So when you said triplets," Nick watched the screaming children running around the playground like wild animals. "You meant triplet toddlers?"

"Yeah." Greg grinned round at him, giving out a soft giggle, as he saw Nick's reaction. "Three little girls. You see the one in the blue dress with the butterfly hair clips." He pointed over to one little girl playing with a skipping rope in the distance. "And the one on the swing with her thumb in her mouth." Nick nodded as he looked towards her, noticing a familiar likeness in both the little girls faces. "And... there she is. Hanging from the monkey bars with the stripy green socks." He spotted the last one in the playground. "That's the three of them."

"Wow." Nick gasped, leaning against the fence beside Greg, so their shoulders were just touching. "How do you keep track of them all?"

Greg giggled, giving him a shrug. "I don't know. They run circles around me all the time."

"Around you?" He smirked, watching the triplets running riot, still wondering about Greg's relation to them ,as he hadn't yet asked if they _were_ his kids for fear of the answer. He did feel a little hurt that Greg had never told him that he had triplets in his life, four year olds as well, so they had been there for a few years now. It also made him wonder what else Greg was hiding from him, like their mother, girlfriend or even a wife.

"Greg!" One of them cried, running towards him.

"Hey sweetie, this is my friend, Nicky that I told you about." He indicated towards the man beside him, watching the smile on Gracey's face increasing, as he was finally out with Nick. "Go play baby, we'll see you in a minute." Greg winked at her.

Gracey gave him a wide smile then skipped away, joining the other children again.

"C'mon." Greg signalled for Nick to follow him, making his way into the main building where the other parents were all waiting for their children to finish playing. Greg picked up each of the triplets coats and bags from their pegs then waited patiently for their teacher to round them up and send them off to their parents.

Nick took a step back as the three excited little girls rushed over towards Greg, each of them giving him a big hug, talking to him a mile a minute about the big cat they saw a lunch, the finger paintings they did in the morning and everything they could possibly think of that they had all been waiting to tell him since they saw him last.

Greg struggled to help them with their jackets and bags while he listened to each of their stories, noticing Nick giving him a wide smile as he watched how caring Greg was over the three of them, and at seeing how excited they were to be with Greg.

"Who's he?" One of the triplets asked, pointing towards Nick stood behind Greg.

"He's my friend... Nicky." Greg smiled at her, brushing her hair back as zipped up her coat for her. "Nicky, this is Terror, Destruction and that's Chaos." He teased the triplets, as sometimes they really were. "Oh I'm sorry, I mean Gracey, Jacey and Macey." He giggled, as the little girls all scowled up at him. Nick smiled at Greg then looked at each of the little girls, able to pick out something of Greg in each of them now he was closer to them. "Now hold your sisters hands while we cross the street the park." Greg instructed them.

Nick was impressed at how quickly they followed his instructions, holding one another's hands ready to head outside. Macey reached out for Nick's hand to hold as she was on the end, while Gracey held Greg's leaving Jacey in the middle. Nick gladly took hold of her little hand, following after Greg as he led them across the street to the big park that was there full of swings, slides, climbing frames and a large grassy area that some children were running around on with kites in their hands.

Greg opened the gate to the children's play area, closing it once everyone was in then took their bags for them, so they could run around easier. "Go and play ladies, we'll be over here." Greg pointed to the empty bench around the side.

The three little girls let out excited squeals, immediately running off in all directions, heading towards their favourite part of the playground.

Nick and Greg dropped onto the bench together, watching the three of them excitedly running about as if it was their first taste of freedom. "So, um... G," Anxiously rubbing his hands across the knees of his jeans, Nick turned to face Greg, giving him a nervous smile, before he asked the pressing question on his mind, "How exactly do you... you know, how are you related to them?" He nervously queried, afraid to discover Greg's hidden secrets.

Greg gave him a half smile, before he explained, "They're my fathers, brothers, daughter's kids. Otherwise known as my cousin Lita Sanders. They're her babies. She's my one and only cousin, and she got stuck being a single Mom when she was seventeen thanks to her dead beat boyfriend and the lack of protection. She's twenty one now, her parents used to help out with the triplets, but they recently had this little dispute over rent and babysitting fees, so Lita's been staying over at my place for the past two months."

"Hmm," Nick watched them running about a moment then turned back to face Greg. "You know for a minute there, I thought you were gonna tell me they were yours and you never told me about them before." Greg responded with a wide grin. "So, how come you never did tell me about them?"

"Well, things were a little crazy at work... then you were in the hospital. I guess I kinda forgot."

"You forgot you had three, four year olds runnin' riot in your apartment?" Nick smirked.

"Not just that." Greg shook his head. "They're all girls, nowhere is private anymore. Lita hogs the bathroom all the time, these three are constantly coming in my room when I'm sleeping, and the place stinks like flowers and things. You know Macey has this little hobby of sticking things to other things. I woke up the other morning with my toothbrush glued to the counter. The other week the remote was glued to the top of the TV and Jacey likes to decorate things; my sneakers have glitter on them." Greg raised his foot to show Nick his brand new sneakers covered in butterfly sparkles and glitter. "It's a nightmare. I was trying to forget, so I never told anyone at work."

Nick chuckled softly, watching the supposed little monsters running around. "You're really good with em, G." He smiled round at him. "They really like you too."

"That's 'cause I'm their cool, Uncle Greg. That's what they call me anyway, since Lita and I are kinda like brother and sister." He explained, glad Nick wasn't mad at him for keeping this from him.

"So, what does Lita do?" He curiously queried, wondering why it was Greg's responsibility to look after them.

"She's in college... and she works part time at the Tangiers." Greg turned his body slightly to look Nick in the eye. "You're not mad are you, that I didn't tell you? It's just for the past two months that I've felt like a single father to four girls, as Lita pretty much counts as one of them. I love Lita and all, but she is kinda bratty. She's completely incapable to look after a child, especially three of them."

"I had no idea."

"What?" Greg looked at him confused.

"How mature you can be." Nick grinned at him. "So this whole time, you've been lookin' after these three, your cousin and me?" Greg gave him a nod. "Wow, I'm... so sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for." Greg assured him, inching closer to him on the bench. "You know it's kinda nice to be needed by people. I've been pretty much out on my own, since I left home for college, so it's nice to be needed. It makes me kinda feel like I have a purpose. That's probably the Jean gene in me talking." He smirked, thinking of his own mother's need to constantly help people, ever when they didn't ask for it. "She has this constant need to look after people and make them feel better, so maybe that's where I get it from?" Greg smiled at him then turned his head as Gracey skipped towards him. "Hey baby girl, whatsup?"

"Greg, can we have ice creams?" She pleaded in a sweet voice.

"Oh I don't know." Greg gave her a slight shrug, giving out a soft sigh. "Have you been a good little girl to deserve ice cream?"

"Yes, I have." She protested, jumping up and down on the spot as she held his hand between her own. "Pwease Greg! Pwease." She used the voice she knew he couldn't resist, so she could get her own way.

"Ugh," Greg sighed in defeat, placing his hands on her shoulders to stop her from jumping up and down. "Okay, we'll grab an ice cream on the way back home." He assured her, giving her a smile, before he ushered her away, "Go play."

Gracey gave him a wide grin then flashed a grin in Nick's direction, before she skipped off towards the swings, her little pigtails of blonde hair bobbing either side of her head as she did.

"See, you're so great with em, G."

"I hate it when they pwease." He giggled. "They know I can't resist it. It's the same thing I used to do with my mother to get the things I wanted."

"My nieces and nephews say that to me all the time too." Nick chuckled, leaning forwards on his knees as he watched the three excited little girls jumping up and down to catch the bubbles being blown around by the wind. "So, how much longer you got em for?" He queried.

"Sorry, did I ruin our... second date?"

"Nope, I was thinkin' we could take em out for pizza then they can have ice cream for dessert." He suggested, making Greg smile widely at him. "It's completely up to you though."

"That sounds great; I've got em until eleven pm when my Mom takes over, until Lita gets back from work."

"Oh, that should be enough time then." Nick grinned at him, glad his second date with Greg wasn't ordinary and boring like the old dates he used to go on.

Everything with Greg was exciting and new.

Greg jumped to his feet to round the three of them up a few minutes later, sending the ones he could find off towards the bench, while he tracked down the others. "Nicky, do you love my uncle Greg?" Gracey bluntly asked him, while Greg was trying to tease Jacey out of the tunnel she was hiding in, refusing to leave, as she still wanted to play.

Nick looked over at Greg then into the little girls curious eyes, giving her a slight shrug. "Um... I think I do sweetie, why do you ask?"

"He like you. He very sad when you got sick." Gracey told him, zipping her lips shut as Greg came back over, carrying Jacey and Macey in his arms as they both giggled and squirmed. "Greg, can Nicky come with us?" Gracey immediately asked him.

"Yeah, if you really, really, really want him to." Greg placed the two little girls in his arms down on the floor then grabbed their bags, handing them back over to them. "We're all going out for pizza and ice cream, if that's alright with you ladies and gentleman." He grinned as he looked towards Nick.

"Yay!" Gracey, Jacey and Macey squealed in excitement, jumping up and down together.

Nick chuckled as he climbed to his feet, holding Gracey's hand while Greg held the hands of the other two, leading them off towards the car to get them all strapped in so he could drive them all off towards the nearest pizza restaurant, for his second official date with Nick, out with his cousin's triplets.

* * *

"Gracey's finally asleep." Greg whispered as he tiptoed off out the guest bedroom, back towards Nick sat on the sofa with a movie on the TV. "She was trying to stay awake because you were over here. For some reason she's appointed herself my fairy god mother." He smirked, dropping onto the sofa beside Nick. "She's really anxious for us to date."

"She's adorable." Nick chuckled softly, putting his arm round the back of the sofa against Greg's shoulders. "They all are. I can't believe you never told me about em before, but I see why you didn't. You really don't have to come over _every_ day to take care of me when you got your hands full here, G."

"You're my release." Greg explained to him through a soft smile. "The triplets are stressful, Lita's kinda lazy and annoying, but I'd be a total hypocrite if I pointed it out to her, because she's just like me at her age, minus the kids. But you, you're my release. I love spending time with you; seriously, I can't wait to spend time with you. I want to take care of you; you're my release from all of this." He assured him, leaning closer towards him, subconsciously licking his lips as he looked at Nick's poised in front of him.

Nick caught onto Greg's action, giving him a nervous smile, before he did the same, quickly pulling back with a flushed face as the front door opened revealing Greg's mother, Jean Sanders with her jaw dropped and eyes wide open.

"Oh. Sorry." She apologised to the two of them, watching the blood draining from her son's face. The exact same way it had when she first caught him making out with a boy on the sofa when he was still in his teens. "I can stand outside if you wonna finish." She suggested.

Greg rolled his eyes at his mother, ducking as Nick removed his arm from his shoulders, quickly climbing to his feet.

"That won't be necessary Mrs Sanders, I was just leavin'."

"Oh, well don't leave on my account honey, you can finish if you want." Jean Sanders looked towards her son nervously, as she had ruined yet another opportunity for him, just as she had ruined the chance for him to lose his virginity to the boy he liked at seventeen years old. Greg had blamed the fact that he never lost it until he was twenty two on her doing, as she forbid him to ever see his boyfriend again after she told the other parents what their boys had almost done together.

"It's okay. I'll see yah tomorrow, G." Nick waved over to him then grabbed his jacket from beside the door. "It's nice to see you again, Mrs Sanders." He gave her a nervous smile then slipped off out the door.

Greg threw his head back against the sofa cushions behind him, giving his mother a glare as she cautiously tiptoed off towards the kitchen. "I'm sorry sweetheart; I didn't know he was here." She apologised, before the fireworks started up.

"I don't blame you for that part. I blame you for the other part." He sighed heavily, as he sat up straight. "Why would you say 'I can stand outside if you wonna finish' to my new boyfriend?"

"I was nervous; I said the first thing that came into my head." She smiled in her son's direction. "I'm sorry. He didn't look too damaged though."

"He practically ran out the door." Greg smirked then quickly climbed to his feet, as he remembered he had driven Nick over here in his car, so Nick would have to walk if he wanted to go home.

"I'm going out, Mom. Lita's not back yet." Pecking a kiss to his mother's cheek, Greg grabbed his car keys off the side table, waving to his mother as he headed off towards the door to quickly rush after Nick.

"Goodbye, sweetheart." She called after him.

Flying out of the front door to his apartment building, Greg smiled as he saw Nick stood against the railing by the street. "Note to self, grab car keys when storming out." Greg smiled to him, as he took a few steps closer towards him. "Wonna ride, Gorgeous?"

"Yeah, okay." Finally relaxing after being caught by his boyfriend's mother at the sight of Greg's familiar lovable grin, Nick took a step closer towards Greg, meeting his smile with one of his own. "Was your Mom mad?"

"Are you kidding? She walked in on me about to kiss a boy; she's having the time of her life right now." The younger man giggled, sliding his hands into Nick's jittery ones. "That's the biggest perk of dating me; you'll always get on with the in laws."

"Here I thought the biggest perk would be that I'm datin' my best friend." Nick smiled at him, gripping Greg's hands tightly in his own.

As they looked deep into one another's eyes, slowly advancing their bodies closer towards one another to finish where they left off, Nick suddenly panicked again over what was going to happen next, quickly backing away from Greg as they were out on the street.

"I-I heard the weather forecast say it's gonna rain." He nervously rambled.

"We should get you home then." Greg held up his car keys then turned and led the way off towards the parking lot round the back where he had parked his car. Nick felt ridiculous for getting nervous so much around Greg; he knew Greg wasn't going to rush him into anything, but any kind of intimacy with him that didn't involve hand holding or lying beside him while he was asleep right now, turned him into a nervous wreck.

* * *

**Sorry, I had to tease you there with the almost kiss. You didn't think it was going to be that easy, did you? :D Thanks so much for all of your reviews so far! I really appreciate it.**

**Thanks so much for reading, please review!**

**~ Holly**


	7. Chapter 6: Dating Game

**Chapter Six: The Dating Game**

"And that my dear Watson, is what your suspect was hiding." Grissom concluded, directing a proud smile in the youngest CSI's direction, as he had solved yet another case. "Everything alright, Greg?" He inquired, after watching Greg giving out a wide exhausted yawn.

"Yeah, just... tired, I guess." Resting on his elbow, Greg directed a smile in his supervisor's direction, assuring him, "I'm fine. It's not affecting my work at all." He smiled then collected up the file he had just presented to his supervisor, before he climbed to his feet and disappeared off into the hall after his in-training boyfriend. "Hey Nicky, I haven't seen you for three days."

"Oh... sorry about that. Here... come in here a sec," Holding open the break room door for Greg like a perfect gentleman, Nick checked the room was empty before he took a step inside, closing up the door behind him.

"Did I freak you out by trying to kiss you? I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking. I shouldn't have..."

"You didn't freak me out with the whole... almost kiss thing. I've just been busy." He cut him off, giving him an assuring smile.

"Busy with what?" Greg queried, leaning back against the counter as Nick anxiously ran his fingers through his gorgeously thick dark hair across the room, instantly making Greg forgive him on his gorgeous looks alone.

"Well... on Tuesday my folks came over to check up on me. My mother made one of her pot roasts for me, that's why I texted you to tell you not to come over before your shift." Nick explained to him, hoping Greg wasn't mad or upset with him over that. "Wednesday I was out with my Mama. She wanted to buy me lunch and just talk, just the two of us. And then yesterday I was in therapy. I meant to call you when I got back, but I fell asleep." He disclosed complete honesty to him, as that was the kind of relationship he wanted with Greg.

"O-kay." Greg nodded to him, seeming to accept his explanation for why he had been avoiding him, even though he had been avoiding direct eye contact with him since the moment Greg's mother walked in on them back at his apartment.

"So . . . what do you say to dinner at my place? Seven o' clock." Nick suggested.

Greg glanced up from his position across the room, giving his anxious boyfriend a wide smile. "Is that an order or a request, Mr Stokes?" He queried.

"My treat to you, just to prove that I'm not ignorin' you," Stepping around the table so he was just a few feet from Greg, Nick stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets as he tried to get up the courage to properly ask him out. "I'll cook you anythin' you want, right before your next shift tomorrow."

"Really?" He coyly grinned, tilting his head to the side as he looked into Nick's dark chocolate eyes that could melt ice sculptures with one glance.

"Yeah." He flashed one of his wide Texan smiles towards him, making Greg's heart skip a beat. "I _can_ cook, G." He chuckled, as he gave him a funny look.

"Now this I gotta see." The younger man grinned, "It's definitely a date, but you can cook whatever you like. I'll eat anything." He assured him.

"Okay, my place at seven o' clock then."

"On the dot." Greg winked at him then smiled as Nick gave him a grateful smile. "See you tomorrow then."

"Okay. I'm just gonna go talk to Grissom before I leave." Nick smiled as he saw the excitement in Greg's eyes then slowly turned for the door, giving him a shy wave, before he set off in the direction of Grissom's office.

Greg watched him go, admiring the slight swagger of his hips as he walked off into the distance. Greg was nervous about their dinner date for the rest of his shift. He waved Sara and Catherine off, before he made his way home, finding the triplets sat on the sofa watching a Cinderella movie, while his cousin, Lita and his mother were in the kitchen preparing breakfast for them.

"Hi, honey," Jean pulled her son into a quick hug, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "How was your shift?"

"Oh you know, picking through samples all day." Greg weakly explained, making his way round to the fridge, grabbing a can of 7UP from the fridge door to clench his thirst. "Oh . . . and Nick asked me out on a date." The apartment suddenly filled with squeals of excitement from all the women in his place. "Ow, turn the volume down!" He winced, covering his ears. "It's not _that_ exciting."

"Yes it is!" Jean exclaimed, girlishly giggling as she shook her head towards her clueless son. "You've been in love with the man for FIVE whole years. FIVE years is a long time. That's not one or two years or a couple of a month's, its FIVE years Gregory, most people give up." She explained to him, as if he was stupid. "But not you honey, you know what you want and you go for it. I'm just _so_ glad you didn't go for that field CSI position though, that's one thing you can want all you like, but you're never gonna get, because you promised me." She reminded him.

"Yeah." Greg gave her a nervous smile, as she still hadn't figured that one out.

"Oh, I'm so happy for you, honey!" Pulling her son into her arms again, Jean clutched him tightly in her bone crushing embrace, as she gave out another joyful giggle. "What time are you going out?" She queried as she pulled back.

"Um... seven."

"Oh, that's just enough time to get you ready."

"Huh... no, no way." He shook his head in protest. "Mom, I'm a guy. We don't spend hours getting ready for our dates. At six thirty I'll pick what I'm gonna wear, shower, change then head out. That's it. I don't need any more time than that." He smiled at the five ladies in his kitchen then turned towards his bedroom to catch up on some sleep after his long shift.

Crashing onto his bed, Greg closed his eyes as he started thinking about Nick again. He didn't let onto his mother how nervous he really was to go out on a date with Nick, as she'd only make him feel ten times worse. Nick was so different from anyone he had ever dated before, he was his _best_ friend and he was the only one of Greg's conquests that he had never gone after. He was gorgeously handsome, had a charming smile, a warm kind heart and a great sense of humour.

Everything anyone would ever want in a guy, and he was the only man Greg was afraid to go for.

Greg tossed and turned restlessly for a few hours, before he finally decided to get out of bed and head for the shower. He locked the door securely into place so he wouldn't get a surprise visit from any of the little ladies in his place, before he stripped down to his underwear; shaved, brushed his teeth then jumped in the shower to clean up.

He knew Nick probably wasn't nervous, because he never got nervous, not about dating anyway. But Greg was really starting to get more and more nervous each time he looked at the clock, as it was getting closer and closer towards seven o' clock.

Standing in front of his wardrobe in a towel, Greg's eyes widened as they scanned across his clothes. There were bright t-shirts, tight t-shirts, long sleeved Hawaii shirts that he had since grown out of, sleeveless t-shirts, mesh t-shirts, t-shirts with slogans, along with the black suit jackets and band logo t-shirts that were becoming more regular in his wardrobe for work. Usually he would just grab anything and pull it on, but now his mother had made him paranoid and he couldn't pick. He didn't know if he should go for his tight blue jeans, the faded jeans, the dark blue jeans, the _really_ tight black jeans, the ripped jeans, the form fitting ones or sweatpants, suit trousers...

"Mom!" He called out to her with a heavy groan. Within seconds she came rushing into the room, looking over at her son stood in front of his wardrobe. "I don't know what to wear. What should I wear?" He started panicking, grabbing for a shirt and held it against his chest. "Do you like this one because it makes me look older and more mature, or do you think I'm just trying too hard?"

"It's very nice." She nodded to him. "But it's not very you. Doesn't Nick want to date the _real,_ Greg Sanders?" Reaching into the closet, Jean selected a pair of his jeans then reached for a long sleeved navy blue t-shirt, handing it over to him. "Just go as you, casual you." She smiled at him then hurried towards the door, giving him a wave before she closed the door.

Greg dropped the clothes onto his bed then selected some underwear that would fit under his tight jeans, as boxers always uncomfortably rolled up with these jeans. He tugged up the tight briefs then pulled on his jeans, lacing the loops with his belt to make himself look irresistible to Nick, even though he didn't want to sleep with him on their first date alone together; he just wanted to torment him a little.

After tugging down the long sleeved t-shirt over his head, Greg grabbed his hair dryer to dry his hair then rushed back to the bathroom to gel his hair into stylish, messy spikes, before he hustled back into the front room to get the ladies opinion on his appearance.

Lita, Gracey and Jean all gave him a thumbs up, but Jacey and Macey gave him a thumbs down.

"What, what's wrong?" He asked them both, brushing the lint from his shirt. Jacey gave him a shrug as she always followed Macey's lead no matter what it was.

"I don't want you go, why can't you bring Nicky here?" Macey asked him, flashing her pouting lip towards him.

"Yeah." Jacey agreed, poking her other sister in the side to agree with them.

"Because guys don't need little girls around _all_ the time." He grinned at them, grabbing a jacket and the sneakers that weren't covered with butterfly glitter.

"Well I think you look cute." Lita smiled up at him. "Nicky won't be able to resist you."

"Thank you." He flashed a grin to his cousin then stuffed his wallet and phone into his pockets.

"We won't wait up." Jean called out to him, giving him a cheeky smile.

"Good, I'll be home in the morning," Before Jean could let out a squeal of excitement again, Greg cut her off, "Because I'm going to work straight after dinner, not because I'm... having a sleep over at Nick's." He waved to them all then closed the door, nervously making his way down to his car, to get over to Nick's on time.

* * *

Pulling open his front door, Nick smiled as he caught Greg touching up his hair in the reflection of his door. He took a moment to admire what he was wearing; noticing Greg was doing the same to him. Nick was wearing a dark green dress shirt and black jeans that hugged his muscular form perfectly. "Hi." Greg dropped his hand to his side as he realised it was still in his hair, quickly holding up the six pack of beer bottles from his other hand to Nick. "I know I can't drink since I'm heading into work, but I got you some..."

"Amstel." Nick smiled as he took them from his hands.

"I know your favourites Stella Artois, but I figured with you wanting to try other things..."

"Good call." Nick stepped aside, letting Greg step through the door into his dimly lit front room. "As long as you're not tryin' to get me drunk." He smirked, watching Greg giving him a half smile, as he hadn't actually thought of that to loosen Nick up for a date. While Greg's back was turned to him, Nick took a moment to admire his date's tight slender form, before he closed the door then made his way into the kitchen.

"So, what are we eating?" Greg queried, stepping into the kitchen with him.

"Well I figured since we both wanted to keep it simple, and just us bein' us." Nick pulled open the grill; pulling the tray out with a towel wrapped around his hand.

"Mmmm," Greg purred hungrily. "Is that gammon?" Nick nodded as he had once heard Greg telling the whole team how much he loved gammon steaks over dinner, so he decided to cook it especially for him. "Yummy, you're the best... _potential_ boyfriend ever!" He happily exclaimed.

"I'm a potential boyfriend?" Nick queried as he set down the tray, serving out the gammon steaks onto two separate plates, before he retrieved the crispy potatoes and parsnips from the over.

"Well yeah Nicky, you become more official when we kiss... or start officially dating more frequently. So I guess you're pretty much a real boyfriend now." Nick gave him a smile as Greg picked up one of the crunchy parsnips, sampling a bite. "Mmmm, how do you get em so crispy?"

"Olive oil. After you've boiled them, you drench them in olive oil before you put them in the oven to roast, and it makes them nice and crispy." Nick dumped the trays into the sink then poured out two glasses of Greg's Amstel beer, making Greg's a half glass as he knew he had to be at work soon. Carrying everything off to the table, Nick realised he had never once used the dining table for dates before tonight with Greg.

Greg removed his jacket then dropped into his seat, sampling a taste of the Amstel he bought over, while Nick turned everything off then took his seat opposite Greg. "Mmmm, this looks so yummy. I had no idea you could even cook."

"You might change your mind after you taste it." Nick smiled across the table at him, watching as Greg cut a piece of gammon then stuffed it into his mouth, allowing it to settle on his tongue a moment for the mouth watering tastes to drizzle down his throat.

"Mmmm," Smacking his lips together, Greg gave him a wide smile of approval as he swallowed it down. "That is delicious. Best I ever had." He assured him, eager to try another bite.

"Thank you, I'm glad you like them." Nick grinned across the table. The two of them talked about their usual sort of thing for the next hour from sports, cases and programs on the television, leaving out past dates and conquests for their new relationships sake.

After dinner, Greg drove them both off to work in his car as Nick was coming in to meet with his PEAP counsellor again. Wrapping his arms around Nick in the parking lot for a hug goodbye, Greg desperately craved that first kiss they had yet to try, but still he didn't want to push him.

Nick clutched him tightly in his warm embrace then pulled back with a wide smile on his face as he looked into Greg's eyes, opening his mouth to say what was really on his mind after their second date, "Hey... eh... call me after work." But he froze up again.

"Okay, call me when you're done with your therapy."

"Done, I'll see you later." Nick waved after him, watching Greg making his way into the lab, while he headed off towards one of the offices to meet with his PEAP counsellor.

"Wow, you look smart." Catherine smiled as Greg as he walked into the locker room. "First date?"

"Something like that." He nodded round at her, pulling open his locker to grab his kit. "But I don't kiss and tell."

"Since when?" Chuckling loudly, Catherine shook her head at him as she dropped onto the bench to change her heels for some work boots. "Was this your first official date with... you know who?"

"A gentleman never tells." Greg grinned round at her, making her laugh again. "So, what have we got first? Grissom said I'm with you."

"City dump. Someone spotted body parts in with the junk." She groaned as she climbed to her feet. "You might wonna change your clothes so you don't mess those up." Greg smiled at her then reached into his locker for his spare clothes. "I'm gonna go restock my kit; meet you by my car in five minutes?"

"Yep, sure." Greg smiled at her then started to change his clothes after she left, ready to head out to his first case of the night.

"First official date with who?" Warrick suddenly asked him, as he came out of the showers, running a towel through his wet hair.

"Um... no one," Greg gave him a nervous smile, keeping his back to him as he changed his shirt. "And it wasn't the first, more like the second . . . or third." He corrected him, grabbing his kit into his hands. "Hey, you called Nick lately?"

"Not really," Warrick shook his head. "He doing okay?"

"Yeah, he could use a phone call from _all_ of his friends though." Greg pointed out to him, heading off towards the locker room door to make sure Warrick was feeling guilty for ignoring Nick since he got out of the hospital.

* * *

Heading straight off to Nick's house after work, Greg smiled as the Texan immediately opened his door without having to knock first. "Hey, you're home early, G." Nick was already in his t-shirt and boxers that he wore to bed, leading Greg straight off towards his bedroom where he was watching a movie. "You wonna watch the rest of the movie with me?"

"Eh... sure," Greg watched the older man climbing back into his bed then dropped onto the edge himself, removing his sneakers and jeans to get more comfortable. He slid into bed beside Nick, smiling as Nick wrapped one of his arms around his shoulders, pulling him closer against his warm body for their first movie snuggle under the covers.

"You okay? How was your shift?"

"Fine and boring." Greg grinned up at him, reaching for Nick's hand at his side. He held it in his own, bending his arm to rest Nick's hand on chest. "Works not the same without you there though. How'd your meeting with the PEAP counsellor go?" He queried, before he sounded too needy.

"Okay I guess, he doesn't think I'm crazy, but he's referred me to a professional PTSD therapist."

"PTSD, as in post traumatic stress disorder?" Greg asked him surprised.

"Yeah, all my symptoms, the dreams, anxiety attacks and things... he referred me to some group sessions and things too, which you know I don't do."

Greg nodded up at him, knowing Nick all too well. "He give you anything for it? After the lab explosion, with my shaky hands and the nightmares they gave me all sorts of meds."

"He didn't give me anythin', he's gonna leave it up to the therapist." Pulling Greg closer against him, Nick rested his head against the top of Greg's, breathing in the soft scents of his hair. "I didn't tell him about you though. I figured because he has to report back to Grissom and Ecklie..."

"You can tell him if you want, I don't mind." Greg spoke softly, resting his thigh against Nick's beneath the covers. He smiled to himself as he felt Nick's leg shiver against him, feeling the soft hairs on his leg tickling against his own.

"Ooh your feet are cold," Nick shivered as Greg moved closer against him. "What have you been doin' to get such cold feet?"

"We were at the city dump then down in autopsy for a few hours. I always have cold feet anyway; it's bad circulation or something." Greg gave the sentimental cowboy a wide smile as he pulled their legs closer, putting their feet together to warm Greg's up.

Greg soon nestled back into Nick's embrace, beginning to get tired as the position he was in was really comfortable, perfect for sleeping.

"Hey G," Nick whispered into his hair, wondering if Greg had fallen asleep yet. As he saw Greg slowly turning his head to look up at him, he smiled widely as he was greeted with those beautiful caramel brown eyes of his. "Hey, you gettin' sleepy there boss?" Greg gave him a nod, too tired to answer as he readjusted himself against Nick's warm body. "You wonna stay here to sleep?"

"Again, you really don't mind me in your bed?"

"Nope," He smiled softly, gently brushing his fingers through Greg's hair. "I really miss you when you're gone." Nick smiled in awe as Greg gave out a sleepy yawn, resting his head down on his boyfriend's shoulder. "G'night, G." He whispered into his hair, gently resting his chin on his head, as he held the younger man tightly in his arms, while he watched the rest of his movie by himself.

* * *

Greg didn't return back home to his apartment until around noon the next day, finding his mother sitting in the front room on his sofa waiting for him, just as he had expected while he was doing a grocery run after he left Nick's place. "What are you still doing here?" He casually queried, hanging his coat up on the peg, noticing his mothers expression as she ran her eyes across the crumpled clothes he had slept in around Nick's place.

"You mean, what _aren't_ you doing here instead of me." She chuckled into her glass, watching him carrying the grocery bags off towards the kitchen. "Lita had to go to work and the triplets needed watching. Since you were _still_ out with that romantic boy toy of yours, I offered to help out."

"So you could score all the juicy details when I got home?" He smirked, heading off towards his fridge to grab a beer after the bags were set down on the side. "Technically, he's not a boy toy if he's older than me and I don't kiss and tell, Mom." He reminded her, as he twisted the cap off his beer.

"Well, maybe the fourth dates the charm?" She suggested, as she dropped a cherry into her margarita, giving her son a cheeky grin as he watched her doing it. "Do you think tonight will be the night he'll finally kiss you?" Greg looked at her wide eyed. "Nicky left a message on your answer machine..."

"And you listened to it?" He gasped as he hurried over to it, listening to it for himself. "Mom, how many times have I told you not to interfere with my dating life?"

"Before Nicky, technically you didn't have a dating life." She pointed out to him, taking a few steps closer towards him. "And I wasn't interfering. I didn't know if it was a message from you or what, so I listened to it and heard that Nicky's taking you out on _another_ date."

"Technically, it's not a date. It's just a walk." He pointed out to her, taking a swig of his beer. "And, how do you know he hasn't kissed me yet?"

"Because you told Gracey, who told me." Jean chuckled to her son. "So, is it _just_ a walk?" She giggled at his expression, shaking her head at him. "He's taking you out for a long walk out in the countryside, just the two of you. Alone. Together. Have yah seen Brokeback Mountain?"

Greg rolled his eyes at her, setting his beer bottle down on the counter. "Nick's not planning on... doing that to me in the middle of nowhere."

"I was just reading between the lines honey, you should probably go get ready. He's heading into the lab to talk to his friend Warrick, before he's coming over here to pick you up." Greg widened his eyes as he looked at her again. "What? I had to call him back for the details. Well actually, Jacey was the one who picked up the phone. Macey dared her to, so then I _had_ to talk to Nicky. Just to be polite."

"That's it, blame the triplets." Greg rolled his eyes at her then walked off into his bedroom to quickly change his clothes and spruce up his hair a little, before he made a trip to the bathroom to brush his teeth and check the bags under his eyes that were hardly even invisible anymore, as he had been relaxing half the day in his boyfriend's arms.

"Is that what you're planning on wearing for this walk?" Jean queried, as he stepped out into the hall. "That won't do at all, how's he supposed to admire your..."

"Please," Raising his hands to stop her, Greg gave out a soft whimper as she was really killing him with the embarrassment lately. "Don't finish that sentence or I'll change the locks." He warned her, pulling his other sneakers on that were more comfortable for long walks.

"I'm only saying sweetheart, you best take a mint with you and maybe some..."

"Bye Mom!" He interrupted her, before she started saying something else to him that would make him more paranoid about going on another date with Nick. He quickly grabbed his jacket then hurried out the door, deciding to wait outside for Nick to arrive, as he couldn't stand his mother for much longer.

* * *

"Hey Nicky," Warrick smiled at him, as he walked into the locker room, spotting Nick sat on the bench in there. "You going out? What are you even doing here, aren't you on vacation?"

"Yeah, I kinda wanted to talk to you, before I left." Nick turned on the bench to look at Warrick, as he leant on the lockers in front of him. "I'm kinda... datin' somebody. And I wanted to tell you about em."

"Oh really, who?" He queried, dropping onto the other end of the bench to face him.

Nick looked down at his hands a moment then glanced back up at his best friend. "Well eh... actually... you know them, really well." After a hefty throat clear, Nick blurted his name, "Greg." Warrick looked at him blankly a moment, leaving Nick to try and judge his expression. "We've just started actually; this'll be our third or fourth date."

"That'll be fourth." Warrick answered with a smirk, making Nick look at him confused. "Greg's been raving about this new... _person_ he's been dating for a while now. He told me all about the dinner this mystery person cooked, so I'm guessing that's you."

"Unless he's datin' someone else who cooks him dinner." He smirked.

"So you guys are on your fourth date already?" Warrick gave the other man a wide smile. "Did you think I was gonna go off on you or something? Puh-lease Nicky, give me _some_ credit. I may be a straight guy, but that doesn't mean I have a problem with... you know. I don't care what gender you like, you'll always be the same ole Nick to me." He assured him. "And I have noticed the flirting between you two for years, I'm just surprised it took you both this long to realise it."

"So, you're totally okay with me datin', Greg?"

"Yeah, course. What am I supposed to do, complain?" Warrick smirked, rolling his eyes at Nick for thinking he wouldn't understand. "Greg's a great guy, and you deserve some happiness in your life. If anyone can do it, Greg can. That and, you actually give that boy some colour. I've never seen him this excited when he wasn't bragging about their sex." Warrick assured him, giving his friend a wide smile, as he actually had the courage to tell him the most private details about who he was dating, and Warrick knew that Nick wasn't that kind of guy.

"So... you're really okay with this?" Nick double checked.

"Just as long as you're happy, I'm happy for you."

Nick beamed a wide smile back at him, glad he had his best friend's approval even though he would have dated Greg regardless of what Warrick thought, it was just nice to be accepted by him, as his family definitely wouldn't be as understanding.

* * *

Lacing his hand with Greg's, Nick led the way down the trail, continuing on their long walk together that so far had taken up two hours of their fourth date together. "Wow." Greg gasped as he looked around at the scenery. "You know, I think we had a DB over that way." He pointed off into the distance as he recognised the scenery.

"Yeah, that's how I found this path. C'mon." Nick gently tugged him off down the rest of the path towards the shallow lake at the bottom. Greg smiled as he soon realised the area was around one of the popular make out spots among teenagers, and Nick was holding his hand very tightly in an affectionate way.

Something he had never done outside in broad daylight, before now.

Nick stopped just a few feet from the lake, looking out at the scenery with Greg stood beside him, still clutching his hand tightly at his side. "Wow, that's beautiful." Greg gasped, brushing his thumb across the back of Nick's hand as he looked around at it all. "And I bet the waters nice and warm too."

"We didn't bring towels... or suits." Nick pointed out to him then watched as Greg pulled away from him, heading towards the water. "G, what are you doin'?"

Kicking off his sneakers, Greg removed his socks then rolled his trousers up to his just below his knees. He smiled at Nick then stepped into the shallow water, feeling the warm water rising up his legs and the sandy surface felt all squishy and soft between his toes. "C'mon Nicky," He grinned round at him. "It's lovely!" He joyfully exclaimed.

Nick gave him a wide smile back then dropped onto a boulder to untie the laces of his boots. He pulled his socks off then stuffed them inside his shoes, before he rolled his jeans up to just below his knees like Greg had, taking a hesitant step into the shallow water.

"See." Greg reached out for Nick's hands with his own, gently pulling him closer towards him. "What?" He queried as Nick gave him a wide smile.

"Nothin', just I expected us datin' to be awkward. It's not exactly _normal_, but that's what I love about you. Nothin' is ever borin' or ordinary with you."

Greg beamed a wide smile back at him, taking a step closer towards Nick as the water trickled between their toes. "Is that a... good thing?" He queried.

"Definitely." Nick nodded, looking directly at the younger man's lips poised in front of him. Holding Greg's hands at his sides, Nick took a step closer towards him, wanting to savour those sweet lips he had almost kissed so many times in his dreams and fantasies, but never for real.

Greg's breath hitched in his throat as Nick leant towards him to ignite an affectionate kiss by gently touching their lips together for the first time. Using his tongue, Nick gently ran it across the younger man's lower lip, teasing them open. He smiled as it was so much better than he ever imagined, and Greg tasted so sweet from all the sugary foods and coffee he consumed.

The warmth from Nick's lips against his own soon started to warm Greg's body. Nick devoured his lips with an untamed hunger; greedily pulling him closer against him as he was desperate for more contact from the younger man's heavenly soft lips. Greg's warm tongue slid into his mouth, searching for his own as their heartbeats steadily started to increase, pounding against one another's rib cages, as Nick pulled their bodies even closer together.

Greg giggled with excitement as he pulled back, inhaling a deep breath as Nick's hands found their way to the small of his back, holding his body tightly against his own. "I always knew your kisses would be amazing." The younger man breathed across his lips; secretly annoyed with his mother for knowing today was the day he would kiss him for the first time.

"Oh you did?" Nick chuckled softly; sliding his hands round to rest on the younger man's hips. "You've imagined kissin' me a lot, have you, G?"

"Maybe just a little," Greg mischievously grinned against Nick's parted lips, brushing their lips together as he looked Nick in the eye. "I never imagined this setting though, and the real thing feels so much nicer."

"Tell me about it." Nick closed his mouth over Greg's again, closing his eyes as their warm lips and moist tongues moved together in perfect harmony. Greg's mouth fit so perfectly against his own, it was as if their mouths were made for each other.

A first kiss never felt so good. It was perfect bliss, just from a simple kiss.

* * *

**Theres the next chapter for you, hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for all of your reviews so far. I'm glad I decided to come back to this story and finish it off, as you all seem to be enjoying it so far :D Chapters 7 to 10 should be posted within the next week, leading up to christmas. Then I have to find some free time to write the rest.**

**Thanks so much for reading, don't forget to review!**

**~ Holly**


	8. Chapter 7: Right and Wrong

**Chapter Seven: Right and Wrong**

Swinging his legs back and forth on the bench he was sat on, Greg inhaled a deep breath of the fresh air around him, looking around at the mountains, rocks, trees and the interesting curves of the desert landscape around him as he did. It was so peaceful and quiet out here, nothing at all like the busy city of Las Vegas. On the strip you could barely hear yourself think and in the local clubs and bars you really had to shout to talk to anybody. Greg loved it out here though, and he loved the fact that it was his boyfriend who took him out here to show him the more beautiful side of Nevada.

"Greg." Nick dropped onto the bench beside him, giving out a heavy sigh. "You said you were right behind me."

"My legs are tired." Greg grinned round at him, ignoring the fact it took Nick twenty minutes to realise he wasn't still following him, after he had complained that Greg was talking too much for the first half of the walk.

"Well, how long have you been sat here?" Nick queried, as he looked at his watch.

"Um... about twenty minutes," Greg giggled loudly as Nick gave him a surprised look. "Did it really take you that long to realise I wasn't still following you?"

"Well I thought you were a _little_ quiet. Then I got worried that you got lost or fell off the cliff or somethin'. I was scared that I wouldn't be able to find you and you'd be trapped out here."

Greg could hear the emotion in his voice as the older man stared off down the side of the cliff with glazed eyes. "I'm really sorry, Nicky." Greg slid closer to him on the bench, brushing the sandy dirt stuck to the side of Nick's head from the sweat that was dripping from his hairline. "I did try to stop you, but you just kept walking. I'm really sorry."

"It's okay. It's not your fault." He assured him. "It's me."

"You weren't that worried about me were you, Nicky?" Greg began to feel guilty as he saw Nick's hands shaking in his lap. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to upset you." Reaching for Nick's hand as he remained silent, Greg held it between his own on his lap, pressing his lips to the side of Nick's head to comfort him. "Nicky, I'm here and I'm okay, baby. Nothing bad is gonna happen to either one of us. I think we can both safely say that we've been through enough already."

"I'm sorry; I know the last thing you want is an emotional boyfriend." Nick wiped his eyes with his other shaky hand, sniffing back his tears. "I shouldn't really be worryin' about datin' another guy since I make up for the emotional girl between us."

Greg shook his head to him, letting out a soft sigh as he watched Nick wiping away the evidence of his tears. "I think it's great that you're even brave enough to show your emotions. Showing your emotions doesn't make you less of a man. Other men aren't brave enough to do that. You're a real man, Nicky. You wear your heart on your sleeve and you show your emotions when you feel them, instead of hiding them away. I never want that to change about you. That's who you are and I love it." Greg smiled as Nick turned his head to look up at him. "So if you wonna cry, you cry damn it."

Nick chuckled softly, wiping his hand across his cheeks. "And how am I supposed to cry when you're always makin' me laugh?"

"It's a boyfriend's job." He grinned back at him, still holding his other hand securely in his own. "What good would I be if I didn't cheer you up? When I cry you give me one of your famous Nicky hugs, but my arms aren't as strong as yours to do that."

"I kinda like your hugs." Nick admitted, giving him a shy smile. "In fact, I'm kinda cravin' one right now."

Greg gave him a soft giggle then opened his arms to him, pulling Nick into his warm comforting embrace. Breathing in the strong scents of the younger man, Nick in turn wrapped his arms around Greg's body, resting his chin on his shoulder, as he felt their heartbeats pounding together. He thought Greg's would be calm and relaxed, but it was pounding just as fast and hard as his own against the surface of his chest, warming Nick's body in ways he had never experienced.

"You know Nicky; we've never actually talked about what happened, you know when you were taken." He spoke softly. "I wanted to give you some time before I asked you anything about it, but I think we need to talk about it now. Not only to satisfy my curiosity as I want to help you, but so you can breathe again once you got all of this off your chest."

Nick nodded slightly, enjoying the soothing circles of Greg's palms across his back. "You're probably right, G . . . but I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything if you don't want to. I just wonna be here for you, to help you."

"You _are_ helpin' me." Nick assured him, as he pulled Greg's body closer against his own. "You've helped me more than anyone. You don't look at me like I'm weak. You don't constantly ask if I'm okay. And when I wake up screamin', you just hold me, no questions asked. You really are helpin' me just by bein' here." He whispered to him, closing his eyes against his neck.

Greg smiled in content, keeping his hold on Nick for a few more minutes as the sun started to go down, leaving a red glow up in the sky.

Nick eventually pulled back from Greg's warm body, giving him a smile as he looked into his eyes. "Did you really just call me baby?" He suddenly asked him.

Greg looked at him surprised, "When?"

"A minute ago or a few minutes ago anyway, you said 'I'm okay, _baby_' to me." He reminded him.

"Maybe." Greg's cheeks lightly flushed as the Texan continued to stare into his eyes. "I'm sorry, didn't you like it?" Nick responded with a shrug, giving the younger man another adorable shy smile. "C'mon then Nicky, you can talk to me about how you feel. This _is_ date number... seven. And it's been about seven weeks now since you were rescued." He pointed out to him. "After your therapy sessions you always seem a lot happier because you've been able to talk about what happened. But when you're out with me, you act as though you're hiding it all, even from yourself. It can't be healthy."

Nick gave out a soft sigh then leant back against the bench beside Greg. "I just... I don't want you to ever experience it, so I don't want to talk about it with you. If I talk about, I remember it. But after I've talked about it, I feel better as though I'm releasin' the pain."

"You can do that with me then. I already experienced it from the outside Nicky, I saw you on the monitor and trapped in that... I never wonna see you like that again. And you don't have to hold onto the pain alone. You can talk to me about anything. From the weather, work, being uncomfortable with anything between us. You don't have to go through this alone." Greg assured him, holding Nick's hand against his stomach. "You don't have to protect me from anything either. That's not your job."

Nick looked down at their hands a moment then looked back up into Greg's eyes. "Okay, how about . . . I absolutely promise to tell you anythin' you wonna know... later. I don't want this to ruin our day out together. Can we please finish this walk _before_ the sun sets completely?" Nick abruptly jumped to his feet, reaching out for Greg's other hand to pull him up with him.

"We are gonna have to talk about it eventually though." Greg warned him, as he followed after him.

"Done." Nick held one of Greg's hands tightly at his side, leading the way so they could get back to the car in time. "I once walked this trail with Lockwood. That's how I found it."

"You dated Detective Lockwood?" Greg teased him, giggling as Nick looked round at him with an eyebrow raised. "I'm sorry. The first thought in my head was you and Lockwood holding hands as you walked the trail."

"Don't be ridiculous." Nick chuckled, pulling Greg closer so he was at his side instead of a few paces behind him. "The hand holdin' was always reserved for you, and Lockwood really isn't my type."

"Because he's a cop or because he's bald?"

Nick responded with a shrug. "He's not you. And he's dead." He pointed out to him, entwining their fingers together.

Greg sighed as he realised he was right, smiling as he said, "Good point," in Nick's direction. "But you didn't date him when he was alive, right?"

Chuckling softly, Nick turned to look at Greg, shaking his head to him. "No. You're the first guy I've ever... dated. Ever. The privilege has always been reserved for you."

"Good." Greg smiled at him, noticing Nick wasn't checking out the scenery the rest of the walk down, he was checking out him.

"Hey, what do you want for dinner when we get back?" He queried half way down. "I can cook again if you want."

"You don't have to do that." Greg lost his footing and stumbled forwards into Nick's arms.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah." He smiled to him as Nick wrapped his arms around him to support him, stopping him from falling to his knees. "I guess you were right that converse trainers weren't the right kinda shoes for walking." He giggled, taking a step back onto the sturdy ground behind him.

"I did tell you." Nick smirked, brushing his fingers through Greg's hair. "Or maybe you just enjoy throwin' yourself at me." Grinning widely against the younger man's lips; Nick pulled him into a seductive kiss, savouring the taste of the younger man's moist soft lips between his own. "I can't believe I waited so long to kiss you."

With a soft giggle, Greg brushed their lips together, gazing lovingly into Nick's eyes. "I'm glad you did, makes it even more special." Moving his hands up to cup Greg's cheeks in his palms, Nick stole another delicate kiss, leaving Greg wanting more as he pulled back from him. "Mmm, definitely more special." The younger man purred, feeling his knees becoming weak. "One more for the road."

"We'll never get there before the sun sets at this rate." Nick chuckled, cupping Greg's chin in his palm as he brought their thirsty lips together, relishing the taste of one another's tongues smoothly gliding against one another. "Mmm, your kisses are amazin'." The Texan's drawl rasped against his lips.

With a chuckle, Greg slid his hands to the back of Nick's neck to keep him against him. "Wouldn't be half as good without you." He breathed across his lips, making the older man smile in awe.

"C'mon, we're gonna miss the sun set." Nick fought the urge to kiss his younger lover again, turning back to the path to lead the rest of the way down.

Greg clutched the older man's hand tightly at his side, keeping his eyes on the ruby red sunset, slowly beginning to set in the distance. He didn't know why Nick had to take him across this whole trail to this _special_ place to see the sunset when he could see it perfectly fine from here, but he went along with it anyway, as he knew how much of a romantic his sentimental cowboy was.

Finally reaching their destination, Nick pulled Greg closer against his side to look out at the sky. The pale blue sky stretched out for miles above them. The sun was glowing with a bright red flare in the distance, and the gentle breeze blowing against them was beginning to make them both shiver.

"See that," Nick pointed off towards the sunset, reflecting against the lake. "This is what I wanted you to see." Gently turning Greg in his arms so his back was against him, Nick snaked his arms around Greg's waist, resting his chin on his shoulder as they both looked off into the distance, watching the sun slowly going down. "Now this, I have never shown anyone before. I came here once by myself after I almost got shot."

Tilting his head to the side, Greg turned his head to look round into Nick's eyes. "Which time?"

Nick smiled as he looked into Greg's eyes, tightening his grip around the younger man's slender waist. "The second time, when I was still hidin' the fact that I wanted you. I've come up here lots of times by myself, always wishin' that one day I'd have the courage to bring you here."

Greg's heart gently fluttered in his chest as the sentimental cowboy rasped his words against his neck.

With his mouth against his partner's cold ear, Nick whispered, "I'm so glad I got to bring you here before I died."

Sighing softly as he slid his hands across the strong arms circling his waist, Greg dreamily sighed, "I want you too, Nicky. We can do anything you wonna do now. We got a lotta years to squeeze it all in too."

Nick couldn't resist the urge to press a kiss to the vulnerable neck beside him, smiling as he saw goosebumps tingling their way down the younger man's shirt straight after. He didn't have to look Greg in the eye to see how he felt about him; he could tell by the way his skin reacted to him.

"You don't think I'm too much work then, bein' new to this... intimacy stuff with you?"

"I think you're worth the effort." Greg smiled round at his very significant other. "Besides, who am I gonna find that has a smoking hot body like you and actually likes to spend time with me?"

Nick smiled in response, sliding one of his hands up the centre of Greg's chest, feeling his ribs against his hands, before they stopped at his heart, feeling the steady beat of his heart against his palm. "No one, I want you all to myself." He whispered against his neck.

Relaxing back into the strong arms of the romantic Texan, Greg smiled as he watched the sun go down, mindlessly swirling his fingertips across the back of Nick's hand on his stomach. It felt so good to have strong hands resting on his chest. He could feel Nick shaking a little, but he figured it was from the cold breeze, as he always seemed much more confident to touch him when they were completely alone.

"Hey, you wonna go out for pizza then make out on your sofa until I have to go to work?" Greg bluntly asked, watching Nick lightly flushing as he turned his head to face him. "What?" He grinned innocently.

"Subtle, G."

"Was that a yes?" As Nick blushed brighter, Greg threw his head back against his shoulder, bursting into giggles. "Just so you know Nicky, this is the last date you get to pick. Next ones mine and it's not gonna involve quite so much exercise."

"You don't like the places I take you?"

"Sure I do, just not all the walking to get to them. This is beautiful, but why is all the good stuff so far away?" He smirked. "We still have to walk all the way back to the car, right?" As Nick nodded to him, Greg gave out a soft groan. "See what I mean? Why do the romantic settings have to be so far away? We could be eaten by coyotes or something trying to get back to your truck."

"I've been comin' here a lot and I've never once seen a coyote." Nick assured him. "C'mon, we should start walkin' back before it gets really dark." Raising his hand off Greg's stomach, Nick looked at the time on his watch then took a step back from Greg, reaching out for his hand to hold for the walk back. "Don't start moanin', G." He chuckled as he saw the look in the younger man's eyes.

"I'm not a fan of exercise, you know that."

"So, askin' you to the gym with me is completely out of the question then?"

"I'm sure I can be convinced, like say... if you were to wear sexy tight shorts and no t-shirt so I can see your muscles when you flex." He mischievously chuckled, giving Nick an eyebrow waggle as he turned to face him. "What? We both have to get something out of this arrangement."

"What do I get then?" The Texan grinned round at him.

"Um... I don't know, what do you want?" Greg caught up to him, looking into Nick's eyes as he tried to think of something he wanted.

"Just you." He finally responded, leaning towards him for an affectionate kiss.

Greg closed his eyes as Nick's delicious tasting tongue swirled around inside his warm mouth, tasting every corner of the unexplored wet cavern of Greg's mouth, almost enough to knock the younger man right off his feet, as his knees started to feel weak again. He didn't know how he was ever going to make it back to Nick's truck when his knees were all weak and his heart was pounding rapidly in his chest, sending all his blood down past his hips, all from a simple kiss.

* * *

Once they finally made it back to Nick's house, Greg ordered pizza while Nick picked out a movie for them to watch. He was grateful that he didn't have to pick out a suitable chick flick that would match his dates taste, as Greg liked all the same action movies as he did.

Greg crashed onto the couch beside Nick once the pizza had arrived, holding open the box and handing Nick one of the Kleenex tissues he had grabbed from the kitchen to use as a napkin. "Thanks." Nick smiled at the younger man, as he picked up a slice of the cheese and bacon pizza. "I've never tried this flavour."

"That's why I got it." Greg grinned round at him, picking up his own slice as his stomach was beginning to angrily growl at him for not having a meal since lunch in Nick's truck that consisted of a half sized taco, before they left on their long walk.

Nick helped himself to a second slice of pizza then scrambled up from the couch to grab them both a bottle of water, as Greg couldn't be drinking right before his shift at the lab.

"Thank you. So, whatcha gonna do with yourself while I'm gone?" Greg queried as Nick sat himself back down on the sofa, closer against him this time, so their hips and thighs were touching.

"Well, I figured I could write my list of things I wonna do. Do you wonna check with Grissom on when you can get some vacation time?" Greg looked at him surprised. "Goin' to Hawaii," Nick reminded him. "I really wonna go with you. And I don't wonna go in the summer when it's really crowded. That's okay, right?"

"Yeah, just the man who was too afraid to kiss me a week ago is now planning a romantic getaway with me." A small smile of excitement brushed across Greg's lips, as he brought the mouth of the water bottle up to his lips. "How long do you wonna go for?"

"I was thinkin'... around two weeks?" He suggested. "I know it's been a while since you've been on vacation, so you should have some days saved up." Greg nodded to him. "Should give us enough time to... see everythin' too."

Greg had a feeling Nick was going to say something else then, but he smiled as the older man blushed after he finished. He knew he wanted the vacation with him so he could get closer to him and more confident to touch him the way he wanted to, and more than anything, Greg wanted that too.

"Okay." He agreed through a wide excitable grin. "I'll check with Grissom today, see when's the best time."

"Cool, you done with that?" Nick gently pried the water bottle from Greg's hands, recapping the bottle for him, before he set it down on the coffee table. Greg looked at him surprised as the older man advanced on his lips, tasting the pizza right from the younger man's mouth. "You did say you wanted to make out." Nick reminded him. "You're not backin' out, are yah, G?"

"No . . . definitely not." Smiling through his excitement instead of giggling like a little school girl like he was prone to do, Greg turned his body sideways on the sofa as Nick cupped his cheeks in his hands, kissing him with an untamed hunger.

Nick's hands confidently moved down to Greg's waist, as they were in the privacy of his living room and didn't have to worry about Greg's mother Jean walking in on them, as for starters, she had no idea where Nick even lived.

Or he hoped so anyway.

He fully expected a mother like her to hijack her son's cell phone or watch his every movement with a GPS transmitter so she knew where he was at all times, but that was just crazy since he had seen her having trouble with a standard microwave that only required the push of one button.

"Nicky, what are you thinking about?" Greg queried as he pulled back slightly from Nick, noticing the intense creases by Nick's eyes that weren't usually there when it was just the two of them alone together.

"Weirdly enough, your mother." Nick answered, watching Greg widening his eyes and raising his eyebrows at him. "Not like that, your Mom's pretty and all, but she's totally not my type." He laughed.

"Thank, Gawd!" Greg burst into giggles. "Why were you thinking about her then?"

"It's just weird how casual and calm she is over the two of us bein' together."

"She's known I was gay since she walked in on me making out with a boy." Greg reminded him, brushing his fingers across the creases by Nick's eyes. "It doesn't bother her because it's natural to her. The triplets don't care because they don't see anything wrong with it as I've always been like this. And Lita doesn't really give a damn who I date, because she's a Sanders and we don't discriminate."

"What about your father?" Nick queried, as his own father was the biggest concern for himself.

"Well, he found out after my Mom told him. They tell each other everything and I didn't exactly mind. He was a little funny about it at first, as most fathers of gay sons usually are. He doesn't exactly ask about my boyfriends or dates as much as he used to ask about girlfriends, he just likes to know that I'm not single and alone. And for the record, I'm still kinda bisexual. I've dated more men than women, but I do like to date women sometimes . . . not now obviously."

Nick gave him a half smile. "Good save, G." He chuckled softly, brushing his fingers through his hair. "So, do you prefer men or women?"

"Right now, I prefer you." He assured him, giving him a cheeky grin. "Have you noticed that you talk more when we're being intimate with me? Like the other day after you drove me home, you started rambling about work and when you were gonna go back instead of giving me a goodbye kiss. You're picking up a nervous habit from me there, Nicky."

"I'm sorry, I don't realise I'm doin' it." He coyly blushed. "I don't mean to do it, you just... you make me nervous."

"It's okay, you're just nervous about us doing something new so you start rambling, just like me when I'm nervous or uncomfortable." Greg grinned against his lips, speaking from his own experience. "I don't mind it this way. I love talking to you and calming your fears." He assured him.

"Okay." Leaning back against the sofa cushions behind him, Nick looked down into Greg's eyes for the longest moment, before he asked his next question, "Did you tell your father about me?"

Greg shook his head, feeling bad for not telling his father who he was dating at the moment. "I'm sure he knows though. My Mom tells him everything. She probably told him the first time she saw us together. That's not a problem, is it?"

"No." Nick shook his head, leaning further into Greg as he joined their lips together again, while slowly sliding his hands down Greg's spine towards his hips. "I can't believe your parents don't care though." He breathed out as he suddenly pulled back. "If my father found out I was sat here kissin' another man... let's just say a bullet through the head is the nicest thing he would do to me."

"Let's not think about it then," Greg suggested, feeling Nick's hand tensing up on his hip, since the moment he brought his father into it. "It's just us. No one has to know what we do. It's completely private, just the way straight couples keep their love life separate. We're not hurting anyone by just being... together." He smiled softly to the older man, gently feathering his fingertips across his jaw line to comfort him, before his nervousness about them being together came back with a vengeance.

"I'm sorry." Nick leant further back, removing his hand from Greg's body. "I can't do this."

"It's okay, I get it. You were raised to believe that boys can't love boys, and all that religious crap. Not being disrespectful to how you were raised though," Greg quickly assured him. "I believe in god, just not the bible or religion. My Papa Olaf always used to say the bible is like a giant list of rules telling us things we can and can't do, but he prayed every night before he went to bed. I don't support all the silly little rules that they can decide to drop at a moment's notice, like the shrimp and things, but they can't drop the ones that really matter, like us being happy. You're proof of that. You've suppressed yourself for so long; you've basically denied yourself happiness, ghosting your way through your only existence that you'll ever get, so why not make the most of it?"

Nick smiled as he looked into Greg's eyes, feeling his heart fluttering against the surface of his chest as his love for the younger man grew even more. "You know, just because I was raised by religious fanatics, doesn't mean I am one." He pointed out to him.

"I know. I never even hear you talk about god. Grissom talks about god and religion more than you, and I know he doesn't believe in religion because he told me so."

"I stopped believin' a long time ago." Nick admitted to him, sliding his fingertips across Greg's forearm towards his fingers on his jaw line. "Church was a mandatory thing in my house. When I first figured out that I liked boys, I was scared that there was somethin' wrong with me. In Highschool and college I wanted to date boys, but I stuck with girls so no one would figure out I was wrong or different. Then I kinda got stuck doin' that, even after I met you. I so desperately wanted to kiss you or hold you, but every time I got close... this, like panic alarm thing went off in my head."

"It's okay, I understand. You think I don't, but I do. I'm not gonna rush you into anything, that's the last thing I wonna do. Trust me."

"I do trust you." Leaning closer towards Greg, Nick captured the younger man's moist lips between his own, gently tasting them a moment, before he pulled back again, "How can somethin' that's meant to send you straight to hell be so good anyway?"

"Everything that's good is bad for you in some way." Greg grinned, weaving his fingers through the hair on the back of Nick's neck. "Like smoking, feels good at the time but eventually kills you. Drugs make you happy, but too much can kill you. Booze, very good, but also very bad..."

"Sex?" Nick queried.

"Sex feels amazing," Greg smiled against Nick's parted lips. "And it's definitely very good for you. But it can also lead to STD's that could kill you, pregnancy and unwanted affairs that are emotionally bad for you. Even Twinky's have their price. I am of course talking about the snack food, not the skinny young men." He snickered as Nick gave him a surprised look.

"I wasn't thinkin' you paid Twinky's for sex, don't worry." Nick assured him. "Although, I was wonderin' about the liquid latex and things."

"Tried it once in college, and no I didn't paint it on myself, because I _had_ dates." Greg giggled, sliding his other hand to cup Nick's cheek in his palm. "You and me being together is perfectly natural. We're not hurting anyone. This isn't the devils work. Besides, the bible was written by mortals." Greg reminded him. "Unless god personally dictated the laws of how we're meant to live to the mortal men who wrote it, which I highly doubt..."

"Okay." Nick interrupted with a wide smile. "I get your point there G, just, do we have to continue talkin' about god when I wonna make out with my boyfriend? I know us bein' together is just as natural as a man and woman, I just have to convince the panic button in the back of my mind."

"I'm sure I can help with the convincing." Greg cheekily wiggled his eyebrows to Nick then leant closer towards him, savouring the taste of his hungry, warm lips. This time their lips met for a slow sensual kiss, while their hands slowly explored their partner's hair, bringing them closer towards the mouth watering kiss they were finally sharing in the comfort of Nick's home.

Nick was a lot more confident at his kissing now. He didn't abruptly pull back when he felt his body responding and he didn't flinch as Greg's hand smoothed its way across his firm chest.

Greg for one was very grateful that he wasn't being pushed away or kept at a distance for a change.

Falling back against the couch behind him, Greg gasped as Nick's moves grew even more confident. Lying down beside Greg, he cupped one of Greg's blushing cheeks in his palm while the other held his hip against him. He didn't flinch or pull back as he felt Greg's body responding, instead he upped the heat of his kisses, moving his hand to the small of Greg's back to keep his warm slender body against his own.

He was attempting to overrule the fear in his mind that told him this was wrong, and so far it seemed to be working.

As he opened his eyes and felt Greg's hard body against his own though, reality struck. He tried not to move or squirm, but the feeling of another man's hard on against his own was just too intense at that moment.

Greg caught onto the fearful look in his eyes, attempting to move his body back, but Nick was keeping a firm grip on his hips as if he didn't want it to end. Even if the panic alarm in his mind was going off to tell him to stop, Nick wanted it to continue.

"Nick. Hey, we can stop if you want," Greg whispered, licking the Texan's scent from his own lips.

"No, I'm okay." Nick's eyes focused on Greg's, giving him his full attention. "I'm really okay; I just never imagined... it would feel this good." Greg smiled in relief, noticing Nick's hands were very tense on his sides, but his hips slowly moved against his own as he brought his mouth back to Greg's.

Nick could feel the tension returning to his body as the younger man moaned into his mouth, but he pushed himself through it, once again feeling the pleasure of moving his body against a man's. He was grateful for Greg's lack of curves, the annoying long fingernails that scratched at his flesh and for the lack of the choking scent of floral perfume that usually made him gag when things were just getting good, but most of all, he could actually believe that he was meant to be here with Greg, for just another moment longer.

Greg was everything he had ever wanted in a partner. He was the perfect addition to that something missing in his life.

It wasn't long before Nick was on the verge of releasing the best orgasm of his life that didn't involve any penetration or any clothing to be removed. All it took was Greg's moist tongue fluttering against his own; the younger man's slender fingers gently weaving through his hair, their warm, equally aroused bodies against one another and the soft moans of pleasure coming from his new lover's lips.

Greg whimpered as he felt Nick's body spasm against him. His body completely tensed as if he was trying to hold it back for fear of what was about to happen, but he eventually let himself go, feeling Greg's body doing the same against him. Watching the look of surrender in Greg's eyes, Nick felt as though he would never love a single thing again as much as he was loving Greg right now.

There was no doubt in his mind this time; he definitely wanted this relationship with Greg to proceed.

Catching his breath after his release, Greg closed his eyes as he felt his partner's warm lips returning to kiss his jaw line, gently trailing their way down towards his Adams apple where they gently nipped and sucked at the soft skin.

"Mmm, you're going for round two already?" Greg giggled, as he opened his eyes to look into the longing look of his boyfriend's eyes.

"Maybe," Nick responded with a slight smile, touching his lips to the corner of Greg's mouth. "That was the... _best_ thing I ever experienced in my life." He whispered, as though it was a secret.

"By thing, you mean orgasm?" Greg smiled at his nervous partner. "There's plenty more where that came from." He assured him, hoping Nick would pace himself as he didn't want to overload him, which could result in a big gay freak out. "You have the rest of your life to feel that again."

"You appointin' yourself my permanent boyfriend?" Nick chortled with excitement, brushing his fingers through Greg's messy spikes of hair from their heated passion. "I've never felt this close to anyone... after. Usually I can't wait to get away."

"But not with me?" Nick shook his head to him. "Well I got news for your Tex, I think you've realised you're totally hot smitten for me." He giggled, gratefully accepting Nick's advance to his lips.

As the Texan began to assault Greg's neck with hungry kisses, the younger man squirmed beneath him, giggling as the older man's warm lips and tongue softly sucked and nipped at his neck. "Nicky," Wriggling out of his arms, Greg pushed himself up to a sitting position on the other end of the Texan's couch. "Stop, I have to face everyone at work later and I can't go in with love bites all over my neck." He giggled as Nick crawled closer, lying his body flat on top of him.

"I'm sorry, I just can't help myself. You taste so good." He rasped, brushing his fingers across Greg's dimpled cheek. "I feel like Charlie when he first discovered the chocolate factory." He smirked.

"Well pace yourself Charlie. They'll be more treats along the way." Greg playfully giggled. "You can't pig out on all of the fruits of intimacy straight away."

Slowly lifting Greg's hand from his side, Nick placed it over his heart, giving the younger man a wide smile. "You see what you do to me." He whispered as Greg felt his pounding heartbeat against his palm. "I don't want to rush anythin' though; you mean so much more to me than a mere sexual encounter for one night."

Greg smiled up at him, feeling the heat rising between them even more. "I don't want that either." He admitted, brushing his fingers through Nick's dishevelled head of hair from their first hot and heavy make out session that he had always dreamt of having with Nick, but never imagined it would feel that good. "Do you mind if I use your shower before work?"

"Help yourself." Nick smiled, snatching a kiss from Greg's lips, before he let him up. Nick gave him a sexy wink that made his heart soar as he climbed to his feet. He gave him a wide smile then slowly headed off down the hall towards his bathroom.

Nick watched him go then gave out a sigh of content. Leaning back against the cushions behind him, his heart slowly began to calm down inside of his chest. He had never felt this much love for someone this early on in a relationship, but he was starting to like the feeling of constantly craving Greg to be around him.

It just kept getting better and better.

* * *

**I think this was my favourite chapter to write so far. I hope you all enjoyed it. Thanks so much for all of your reviews on the last chapter. I'm glad you liked the first kiss, that was my favourite part to write too :D**

**Happy Holidays Everyone!**

**News on story updates...**

**Family of Secrets –**

**I'm lost for ideas and inspiration at the moment. I've written a few future chapters, I just have to write the in between ones that have me stuck for ideas so I don't know when this one will be next updated.**

**Without You –**

**I've written half which is around 8,000 words at the moment. It's going to be a really long chapter because theres so much I wonna put into it. I just have to find the time to write. But hopefully it will be posted before Christmas :D**

**No Regrets –**

**I don't think I'll be continuing this story. I can't write stories I don't like, they just hurt my head lol. So I'm sorry if you were expecting more from that one, but I won't be updating for a long while. I think it's because I tried to write Nick as using Greg for his own needs, and I really don't like writing him like that :D**

New M-Preg Story (sequel to Baby Makes Three) has a title **'Just the Three of Us'** and a few idea's, but I think I'm gonna finish some of my other ones first so I don't annoy you with the long gaps between updates.

**Thanks so much for reading, please review!**

**~ Holly**


	9. Chapter 8: Surreptitious

**Chapter Eight: Surreptitious**

Watching Greg lying on his stomach beside him on the bed, Nick's lips spread into a soft smile as he watched his back arching up and down with each deep breath. After his extra long double shift at the lab, Greg was completely exhausted. Nick offered him his bed so he didn't have to drive all the way back to his apartment to get some sleep and the younger man literally fell right to sleep where he landed.

Nick crawled onto the other side of the bed a few hours later, attempting to get some shut eye himself, but he was soon rudely awoken by the garbage truck two hours later. Nick then decided that watching Greg sleep fidgeting beside him was far more interesting then catching up on the rest of his sleep.

In the soft glow of the afternoon sunshine, Greg looked so innocent and angelic. He mused over the fact that even after five years; Greg was still the most beautiful man he had ever laid eyes upon. He had perfect boyish good looks, the softest hair he had ever had the pleasure of running his fingers through and the perfect slender figure that he was dying to see without his clothes on as the clothes he wore really hugged his slim figure, showing off all his beautiful assets.

Fluttering his eyes open a few times, Greg gave out a soft sigh then turned his head to look at Nick lying beside him, watching him with love. "What, was I snoring?" The younger man immediately asked, flashing Nick one of his loveable grins.

"Nope, you don't snore. You fidget, wheeze, oh and you roll, a lot." Nick smiled, brushing his fingers through his bed mate's messy hair from all his rolling and fidgeting as he slept.

"My mom said I used to talk."

"You slept with your mom? Ew, that's kinda squicky Sanders." Nick teased him.

"Nooo." He laughed, shaking his head at him as he rolled over onto his back. "When I was little and still slept in the family bed, she said that I used to talk in my sleep." He corrected him. "You snore though." He pointed out to him.

"I do?" He asked surprised. "I've never had anyone in the position to tell me I did."

"Yeah, it's not really that loud like my Papa Olaf though. He used to growl and it would echo through the whole house, your snoring is more like light wheezing." He smiled up at him. "The triplets, now they snore. Gracey rolls all over the place and she does this weird cluck thing with her tongue. Macey sounds like a kitty purring and Jacey is just really noisy in her sleep with the snoring, which is odd because she's the quietest of all three when they're awake."

Nick smiled down at him, brushing his fingers across his forearm. "I love it when you talk about them. Your eyes light up like you're a proud father braggin' about his perfect little kids."

Greg scoffed, "They're far from perfect, they're like this constant liability and they're not even mine. I swear sometimes I just really wonna push them all out of my life so it would be easier in some way." He admitted to him, rolling closer towards Nick on the bed. "I love them, but I don't wonna be a single father anymore, especially not to triplets."

"I think you do a great job with them, and I'm sure all parents feel like that at some point." Brushing his fingers through Greg's hair, Nick beamed a wide smile down at him as he looked into his eyes. "You'll make a great father to your own kid someday G; you have this warm lovin' heart, and you're practically a kid yourself that's why they love you so much."

"They love you too; they haven't stopped raving about you since we spent that day together at the park then the pizza place." He reminded him. "Gracey's always asking about my dates with you, and every time I tell them I'm going out with you they make this really irritating high pitched screaming noise of excitement." He cringed as he remembered the sound. "I really hate it when girls do that."

"I had no idea I was _that_ amazin'."

"That's because you're completely clueless Stokesey." He giggled softly, running his fingertips across Nick's flexed bicep. Nick shivered under the touch of his delicate fingertips, making him desperately want to sample a taste of Greg's moist soft lips again. "Wait, I wonna brush my teeth first." The younger man abruptly pulled back as Nick leant forwards to kiss him.

"You afraid I'll taste your mornin' breathe?" He chuckled from his position on the bed as he watched Greg quickly scramble to his feet, heading off towards his bathroom to brush his teeth. "It really doesn't bother me G!" He shouted after him, flattening his own messy bed hair.

"It bothers me. We've only been dating five minutes and you're about to get the horrible taste of my morning breath in your mouth before we've even had sex." Greg pointed out to him as he grabbed the spare toothbrush Nick had got out for him, rinsing it off before he started to brush his teeth. He quickly rinsed his mouth out once he was done then head back into Nick's bedroom, dropping onto the bed beside him. "You've already seen me naked, bleeding and vulnerable. I don't want you leaving me for a prettier, easier guy with nicer morning breath." He explained as he got comfortable beside him again.

"You think I'm only datin' you for your looks?" The older man asked surprised. "Believe me when I say you're gorgeous and beautiful, but you're also funny and sweet. You have this great personality and this wild free spirit thing goin' for yah. Don't get me wrong, I would love to date you just because you're cute and sexy, but who you are as a person factors into it a lot more. Not only am I gettin' the sweet guy with the amazin' body, but I get the best friend with the great personality too. I get the best of both worlds by datin' you, so I'd never leave you for anyone else. You're the most beautiful and loveable man in the world." He admitted, watching Greg's lips spreading into a thousand watt grin. "I want all of you G. The hyper crazy personality. The gorgeous good looks. The amazin' kisser. Mornin' breathe, smelly socks... and the complaints that your feet hurt ten minutes into walkin'."

Greg smiled wider, falling deeper in love with Nick as he gazed into his chocolate brown eyes. "Oh, okay." He responded in a barely audible voice as he was too nervous to speak after Nick had practically declared his undying love to him after only a month and a half of dating.

"No way." Nick chortled, returning to brushing his fingers through Greg's soft hair. "Is the great Greg Sanders actually speechless?" Greg gave him a shy smile as he felt his cheeks lightly flushing. "You're adorable." He declared, placing one hand on Greg's hip as he leant down to bring their lips together.

Scouring his tongue across Greg's minty teeth, he savoured the taste of his minty breath before he hungrily re-tasted the delicious corners of his mouth, only to be pulled apart a few seconds later by the obnoxious buzzing of the alarm clock on his bed side table.

Nick gave out a groan of annoyance, turning his body away from Greg's to reach it. "That means we have half an hour to get ready for work." Greg pointed out to him as Nick rolled back to face him, resuming where he left off.

"I know. Five minutes for a shower. Three to get dressed. Twelve minutes for breakfast." Nick calculated off the top of his head, giving Greg a wide smile. "And the rest is free kissin' time. You're a smart boy, you do the math." He purred as he leant closer towards Greg's lips.

"What about the fifteen minutes we need for travel?" Greg giggled as he turned his head away so Nick couldn't pull him into another kiss straight away. "You haven't done your math properly Tex; we'll still be late for work."

Nick thought about it a moment then gave Greg a wide smile. "We'll skip breakfast, then we'll have enough time." Leaning his body closer against Greg's, Nick covered his minty tasting lips with his own, hungrily kissing him while his hands bravely began to explore the slightly toned muscles of the younger mans back.

Shortly after their brief, morning make out session, the two men took turns in the shower, got dressed and ready for work then head off towards the lab with two minutes to spare.

"Hey Griss," Nick caught up to his supervisor in the hallway on his route to the break room. "I know I just had a month off, but I wanted to ask you if I could have a couple of weeks off vacation..."

"That's fine Nick, no explanation necessary." He assured him, holding open the break room door as Nick followed him in. "I'm actually going to a conference." Glancing at his watch, Grissom realised he was already late. "Would you mind if I put you charge of a scene? It's out in..." Lifting the slip from the files in his hands, Grissom glanced at it then groaned as he couldn't read it. He unhooked his glasses from his shirt pocket, bringing them up to his eyes so that he could read off the address. "Lincoln County." He finally read once it was clear.

"Uh, sure." He nodded.

"Sara's not in yet, I sent her a message to meet you there though. I'll send the same message to Warrick and Greg." He explained as he grabbed a sandwich tub from the fridge. "Oh and Catherine's gonna be staying at the lab though, she's on call for court."

"Okay." Nick nodded to him then voiced his concerns, "Are you sure you want me to take point on this one though? Doesn't Warrick have..."

"I'm sure." Grissom interrupted him, giving him a smile before he stepped around him towards the door again. "Call Catherine... or Ecklie if you have any problems. I'll let the others know that you're in charge. Don't let me down Nicky my boy."

Nick looked at his supervisor suspiciously, wondering if he was just doing this to make him feel a little less useless. Instead of arguing with him about it though, Nick gave him a nod, taking the slip into his hands so he could head out to Lincoln, the first crime scene that he was in charge of since he got back.

Nick head straight to his truck, making sure his kit was fully stocked before he started driving, eager to get there before the others.

* * *

A few minutes after Sara Sidle arrived on the crime scene, Greg's car pulled up just behind hers, noticing Nick's truck was up front. He slowly climbed out of his car, snapping his kit shut in his hands as he head off towards the front door of the grand family home.

Entering the foyer of the once loving family home that was now covered in puddles of blood and stained footprints, Greg involuntary shivered as he saw the blood stained across the floor, leading its way up the stairs. But there were no bodies, making the crime scene appear really eerie. Stepping over a pool of blood in front of him, Greg cautiously made his way over to the desk on the other side of the foyer, covered with framed family photos of love and happiness.

On the floor beside the desk, Greg noticed a single framed photo lying shattered in a pool of blood. His breath caught in his throat as he saw the smiling faces of the two young children with their cheerful, loving parents stood behind them.

Greg cautiously head off through to the front room, spotting Sara stood just a few feet from the mantle, where she was staring at some more photos scattered across it of the family that lived here. "You been upstairs yet?" He startled her with his voice, making her jump and quickly whirl around to face him. "Sorry." He immediately apologised as he saw the shock in her eyes.

"No it's okay," Sara gave him a soft smile as she placed her hand over her heavily pounding heartbeat. "No, I haven't been upstairs yet." She shook her head, raising her camera from her chest to finish documenting the room she was in. "Nick's up there though and I think Warrick's still searching the perimeter."

"Okay." Greg nodded to her, watching the flash of Sara's camera brightening the joyful smiles of the children's faces.

"Grissom put Nick in charge, so you should probably go and see him first." Sara called after him as he went to leave the room. "Just take it slow." She advised him as she saw the look of fear in her pseudo little brothers eyes. "It takes a while to get used to it."

Greg half smiled to her, taking a few steps out of the room before he noticed the dining table was set up with plates of food that were completely untouched. A cold tremor shivered its way down his spine as he gradually head off towards the stairs, being careful not to stand on any of the bloody footprints so he wouldn't contaminate any evidence.

Once he reached the landing, Greg caught sight of Nick's abandoned kit stood outside of the master bedroom. He took a look for himself inside the room, but there was no sign of Nick or any bodies, still.

"Nicky?" Progressively taking a few steps towards the next bedroom, Greg noticed that the walls were covered in little girls things, the floor was scattered with dolls, doll houses and fluffy carpets. The silky white curtain around the window over the bed was gently fluttering in the light breeze, and the sun was lightly trickling in, lighting up the glazed expression of the man stood at the foot of the child's bed.

Greg carefully set his kit down on the floor by the door, taking a cautious few steps towards Nick who was stood with his hands on hips at the foot of the heart framed child's bed, staring at the unmade mound of covers on top of the pink mattress.

Gently slipping one of his hand's into Nick's, Greg slowly slid his slender fingers between Nick's then curled them around his knuckles, clutching his hand tightly in his own.

Greg didn't even need to say anything to be a comfort to him; the simple act of holding his hand was more than enough.

"I eh... I have to go talk to the sheriff." Nick spoke softly, slowly turning his head to look at Greg beside him. "Will you eh... will you start downstairs in the kitchen?" Greg could hear the emotion in Nick's voice, but he could see that his face was desperately trying to hide it. "You can stick with Sara." He suggested. "I've got Warrick doin' the outside, and I'll take up here. Don't work yourself too hard." He cautioned him as he let go of his hand.

"Same to you Nicky." He warned him, heading towards the door to grab his kit.

Greg gave the older man a half smile then head off towards the stairs again, slowly taking them down one at a time towards the kitchen. He looked around at all the dishes, cups, photos, letters, chore charts and food, feeling a tear forming in his own eye as he could have never imagined something so evil to come into such a loving family home.

* * *

Slowly heading off out the door of the McBride family home, Nick looked towards the left first, spotting Warrick photographing some tire tracks on the ground. He turned his head the other way, looking at the Sheriff of Lincoln County, Sheriff Brackett stood by his squad car talking to one of his deputies.

Adjusting the CSI cap on his head, Nick stepped off the porch, making his way over to the Sheriff to talk to him about the scene, the way he had seen Grissom do so many times. "Hey eh... Sheriff Brackett? Who called it in?" He inquired.

"Anonymous 9 – 1 – 1." The Sheriff answered, turning away from his deputy to face the slightly smaller CSI beside him. "Listen we haven't had a murder in all of Lincoln County in ten years Mr Stokes, let alone a quadruple murder..."

"Without the bodies, I can't confirm there _was_ a murder." Nick pointed out to him, looking around at the front yard.

"No offence Mr Stokes, but did you see the amount of blood in that house?" He asked. "Somebody's dead."

Nick gave him a slight nod as he could definitely agree with that statement. "Tell me, what do you know about the family?"

"Uh," The Sheriff scratched his head beneath his hat as he looked up at the house. "Well Jude McBride the father, he's a great guy. He's a stay at home dad too. Nina McBride owns the local coffee shop. Great lady, real good Samaritan. Um... they got a teenage son Jeremy McBride. I think he's a... he's a junior in high school. He's a real good kid, smart too. He keeps his nose clean round here. Never had any trouble with him, not like the other local boys." He explained, casting his eyes towards the young deputy beside him who shamefully looked down at his feet as if he had done something to offend him. The Sheriff cleared his throat before he continued, "Oh, then there's Cassie their daughter. Ten years old . . . pip squeak. Those parents really care about them kids." He finished, noticing the look in the CSI's eyes as he mentioned the kids.

"Have the family ever had any trouble with the locals?" Nick queried.

"Not that I know of." The Sheriff shook his head. "They've been here since before Jeremy was born. They bought it as newlyweds. I think Jude and Nina went to school together. Nobody round here would ever say a bad thing about em; they're a real nice family." He assured him.

Nick nodded to him, giving out a heavy sigh as he turned back towards the house to try and find any evidence inside that would lead them to their murderer or to the location the bodies were taken.

Re-entering the foyer of the McBride's house, Nick spotted Greg and Sara swabbing and photographing the different patches of blood across the floor. The conversation between the two of them was normal; he knew that Sara did that at every crime scene to take her own mind off what was going, but he never realised that Greg did it too, until now.

"And where's _your_ significant other?" Greg asked Sara as he set another marker down on the staircase.

Sara looked round at him with a perplexed frown written across her features. "Significant other?"

"You haven't stopped flirting with one guy since the lab explosion." He chuckled in her direction, shaking his head at her as she lightly blushed. "Of course it's him. Who did you think I was talking about?"

"Oh eh... well Grissom, he's teaching a human remains recovery class at the body farm. And not that it's any of your business Greg, but he turned me down. And it wasn't a date, it was just dinner." She assured him, not noticing that Nick had re-entered the foyer.

"I woulda gladly taken the offer." He smiled over at her, spotting Nick giving him an eyebrow raise from the doorway as he was still flirting with Sara. "Hey Nicky, what'd the Sheriff say?" He abruptly changed the subject.

"Oh, it was an anonymous 9 – 1 – 1 caller, so we have to see what we can find in here." He answered, placing his hands on his sides as he took another step into the foyer.

"Hey Nicky, ya'ight man?" Warrick suddenly startled Nick as he came through the door, clapping a hand on his back.

"Yeah." Nick removed the cap on his head, looking around at the blood. "The blood pools are all dry so our crime scenes at least twelve hours old. There's three major blood pools too. Without the bodies though, we'll have to confirm the source of the blood through DNA comparison."

"I'll collect up the family's toothbrushes, hairbrushes... anything we can use to compare it." Sara suggested, heading off up the stairs past Greg to fetch them. Nick watched the two of them with green eyes of envy as Greg graced Sara with one of his adorable smiles.

"What if this isn't the family's blood?" Warrick queried, gazing around the room at the blood pools coating at least eighty percent of the floor. "The family coulda skipped town after they murdered someone."

Nick shook his head, turning his gaze away from Greg. "The Sheriff confirmed that the McBride cars are all parked out front. Their cell phones, car keys and wallets are all in the house."

"Can't get far without those." Greg stepped off the stairs, setting another marker down at the bottom to take a photo of the blood pattern. "Looks like we can eliminate robbery as a motive though. But if you're not gonna clean up all this blood . . . why take the bodies?" He thought out loud.

Both Warrick and Nick gave him a shrug.

"Want me to take upstairs, boss?" Warrick smirked as he looked towards Nick. "I can't believe Grissom put _you_ in charge. But it's good to have you back man." He assured him.

"Thanks." Nick smiled back at him then got back into his leadership role, not wanting to let Grissom down again. "You can take Jeremy's room upstairs. There's no blood up there..."

"Don't sweat it." Warrick carefully stepped around the blood pools, heading off up the stairs with his kit in hand.

Greg looked up at Nick, expecting him to give him an order, but when he didn't he decided to chose one for himself, "I'm gonna head outside, take a look around the side."

Lifting his kit from the bottom of the stairs, Greg went to step past Nick when the envious Texan suddenly seized hold of his forearm, tugging him closer to press a kiss to the side of his head once they were alone. Nick had done it to remind Greg that he was still his and didn't want him to flirt with Sara in front of him anymore as it wasn't as cute as it used to be, now it was treacherous and blood boiling.

"What was that for?" Greg asked, looking up at him surprised.

"As if I need a reason to kiss you." Nick winked at him, relinquishing his strong grip on his arm. "Oh, and I asked Grissom about my vacation time back at the lab. He said it's fine so now I can book our flights."

"Cool. I can't wait." Greg pulled his sunglasses from his CSI vest, giving Nick a wide smile before he head off towards the front door. "Just so you know Nicky," He called back to him. "When we do go, I don't actually own a bathing suit and I never wear pyjamas on vacation."

"Real cute G." He laughed after him, turning into serious CSI mode before he head off up the stairs to start processing Cassie's bedroom at the top of the stairs.

Inside Cassie's room he set up his camera, snapping some pictures of the bloodstains on the carpet. He rested it around his neck on its strap, pulling an evidence bindle from his vest pocket to collect up some hairs by the bed.

Leaning down under the bed, Nick lifted up the frilly hem, finding a plate with a half eaten sandwich on it, along with an empty bottle of cough medicine and a child's shoe. He looked at them both curiously before he reached out for the sneakers, finding a weird liquid soaked inside.

* * *

Just over three hours later, Warrick finished up in Jeremy's bedroom and the master bedroom down the hall then made his way off into the family room to finish processing in there. While Nick started photographing the foyer again so they had multiple shots to email back to Catherine in Las Vegas, Sara collected up the households shoes so they could eliminate the sizes from the bloody footprints that were tracked in through the foyer in blood.

Greg had finished in the shed, the garage, the driveway and he was just starting round the back of the house where he spotted a window was left just a crack open. Thinking it may have been a point of entry; Greg took a few steps closer to examine it further.

Inspecting the window further from the outside of the house, Greg raised his camera to his eye, snapping a picture of the marking against the wooden frame. He took a scrapping sample, wondering what kind of tool could have been used to pry it open.

Inside the house he could see Sara coming down off the stairs, carrying shoes wrapped up in plastic bags. She carried them off towards Nick who was photographing the blood pools using a tripod camera. Nick had marked out the different bloody footprints in the foyer with a coloured marker, placing a yellow sticker next to all the different shoe prints so they could determine who's they were by the families shoe sizes.

Greg watched the two of them comparing the footprints with the family's shoes then set off around the house to see if he could find anything else as Warrick had only searched the front yard, leaving the rest of the back yard for him.

Around the back of the house Sheriff Brackett and his deputies were stood by one of their squad cars, chatting away as if it were just a regular day. Greg snapped a few pictures of the tire treads in the dirt, pulling his sunglasses off his face to take a closer look. "Hey, Sheriff Brackett," He called over to him. "Did your deputies drive anything up here with a hitch?"

The Sheriff looked at the younger man curiously a moment then shook his head. "No, why?"

"I got an odd sized tread here." He pointed it out, kneeling down to snap a closer shot of it. Looking around once he was done, Greg found some weeds along with a wrapped piece of Bubblicious bubble gum. "Hm." He looked at it curiously as it was the same brand Nick was always chewing. He snapped a photo of its position then picked it up, stuffing it into an evidence bindle from his vest.

"Hey Greg!" Sara called out the house towards him. "Hey, you wonna help process the rest of the kitchen while I dust for prints, that is if you're done out there?"

"Sure." Greg brushed the dirt from his jeans then grabbed his kit off the floor, heading back towards the house to help Sara in the kitchen. He set his kit down by the fridge, looking at the calendar with gold stars stuck all over it.

"I heard you're going on vacation." She inquired as she looked round at him.

"You hear that from your SO?" He teased her.

"He's not my..." Sara stopped herself as Warrick gave her a smile from the foyer. "He's really not my SO, Greg." She sternly warned him again. "Even if he was, there is no way I'd tell you."

"O-kay." Greg gave her a smile, deciding not to brag to her about his new boyfriend.

"So, where are you going?" She queried as she started dusting for prints.

"Hawaii. For two whole weeks." Greg reached for the post, flipping through the various letters to take a look at what the family were receiving. "First vacation I've taken since I was in college. But it should be really fun, I'll get to surf, snorkel... stay up late in the luxury hotel rooms."

"All the way over to Hawaii?" Sara gave him a surprised look as he had never once taken a vacation from work. "You going with friends or alone?"

"Um... alone," He fought the urge to tell her about his new boyfriend again. "I find it more relaxing when I go on vacation alone. That way if you meet some hunky life guard, you don't have to worry about the SO back at the hotel room." He giggled, watching Sara widening her eyes to him. "Of course I don't do that though. I'll probably just end up crashing by the pool with a book in my hand." _With Nick lying on top of me._ He thought to himself, giving her another one of his famous smiles. "That's more of my mother's thing to do though. My Papa Olaf always used to ask her why she flew half way round the world _just_ to read a book by a fancy pool. She used to be terrified of water so she'd never do any of the activities to occupy the rest of our time there."

"And she's not anymore?" She queried.

"Nope, my dad got her swimming again. He bought her one of those floating tire things. She was doing pool laps within a few hours. Now she only reads books on the flight to the vacation spot." He chuckled.

"So, why are you going alone?" She asked as she looked round at him. "Won't you be bored... or lonely?"

"Nope." He assured her, smiling as he caught sight of Nick just through the hall. "I won't be lonely at all."

"Okay." She smiled at him. "Hey, according to this," Sara pointed to the calendar. "Cassie never got to her Saturday morning chores. You think that was when all of this happened?" Sara snapped a picture of it, watching Greg shrugging out of the corner of her eye. "You know, I was really into gold stars when I was a kid."

"As opposed to now?" He teased her.

Sara scrunched her eyebrows together as she looked round at the younger mans cheeky smile. "I'm gonna forget you said that Greg." She smiled softly to him. "Anything interesting in the post?"

"Nope." He shook his head, moving onto the next stack of post to flip through them. "When's the last time you went on vacation?"

"Right after my DUI." She reminded him. "It wasn't as relaxing as I thought it would be though."

"Maybe you shoulda taken your SO?" The younger man smirked as he flipped through the bills and things in the McBride's mail carrier. "Whoa, the McBride's meter must be broken. Even if they left every light on in the house day and night it would never add up to two thousand dollars."

"Hm." Sara nodded as she looked at the bills in his hands. "Maybe you could get Brass to check it out?" She suggested, rubbing her nose with the back of her wrist. "I think this print dust is getting to me. Would you mind finishing off the fridge?"

"Do I get a gold star?" He teased.

"Ha ha," She dryly laughed, snapping the latex gloves off her hands. "You'll have to ask your boss for one of those." She snickered to him then head off round the corner, not noticing the wide smile spreading across Greg's features as he was thinking Nick would give him a lot more than a gold star.

Heading off into the dining room, Sara spotted Nick stood in the dining room, staring blankly at the table of food in front of him. "Hey Nick, you sure you're ready to be back?"

"Yeah." He smiled as he turned to face her. "I was just thinkin' the last family meal I had was three thanksgivings ago." Lifting his kit from his side, Nick turned back for the door to the foyer. "It seems wrong that they never got a last meal together."

"We don't even know if this is their blood yet Nick." Following after Nick into the foyer, Sara watched as his eyes scanned across the family photos scattered across the walls, reminding him of the ranch back home.

"C'mon Sara, we've seen enough of these cases to know the whole family's dead."

"Hey Nick, do you need a break?" Stepping up beside him, she gently brushed some dust from his cheek with her thumb. "You know that we'll all understand if you need a break from all of this. We've got everything under control." She assured him.

"No, I'm fine." Inhaling a deep breath, Nick once again buried his emotions deep down inside of him, giving Sara a slight smile. "I got through it and I'm okay Sara. Besides, I'm goin' on vacation soon to get away from all of this."

"Oh really, where are you going?" She asked curiously, trying to get his mind off other things.

"Eh... Hawaii." He answered, looking down at the blood around him. Had he looked back up at her he would have noticed the surprised look in Sara's eyes as she had only just heard that Greg was going to the same location.

"Ar..."

"Hey guys, I think I found something!" Greg's voice called from the kitchen, cutting Sara off from asking Nick who he was going with.

* * *

**Kind of a Cliffe ending...**

**Thanks so much for all of your reviews so far. In case you didn't already guess, the episode this chapter is based around is **'Gum Drops' **from season 6. I thought it was perfect since it really shows Nick wanting to rescue someone the same way he was. I'm going to change it slightly obviously :D since they are real people and the cases should affect them more than they do. Please review if you enjoyed it!**

**Happy Holidays Everyone!**


	10. Chapter 9: Third Eye

**Chapter Nine: Third Eye**

Snapping more photographs of the various items in the McBride basement, Sara glanced up as Warrick came down the stairs, giving him a half smile as his eyes widened, taking in the sights of the room. "Wow!" He whistled, looking around at all the plants in there. "Sweet. Bet they earned a pretty penny from all of this."

"Certainly put the kids through college." Sara agreed.

"Hey boss," He called over to Nick. "Looks like someone shot out the lock upstairs. I found what looked like fragments of two bullets. They might be too damaged for comparison though." He sighed as he looked at the see through bindle in his hands, containing the fragments. He looked at Sara, Nick and Greg, noticing neither of them had any reaction to what he just said, making him feel as though he was talking to himself.

"Were these parents aware they had two children in the house?" Sara asked as she moved her camera to photograph something else. "I feel bad for having sex in the same house a child is."

"You do that a lot?" Greg teased her, looking towards Nick beside him. "I'm never leaving her unsupervised in my apartment." Sara and Warrick chuckled, but Nick remained silent as his mind was preoccupied on other things. "Maybe that's the sorta thing you and your..."

"I swear to god Greg, if you say SO again," Sara went to warn him when Warrick stepped in to break them up.

"Children, stop bickering." Looking towards Nick, Warrick expected him to aid him in breaking up their little squabble as a true supervisor would do, but he just stood there, staring at the plants around him.

"We're not bickering." Sara assured him. "Greg thinks I'm dating Grissom, which you all know isn't true, right?" She looked towards Warrick, expecting him to answer, but he just smirked at her. "Oh come on! Nick, you believe me right?"

Nick responded with a shrug while his mind was still elsewhere.

"Relax Sara, we don't care." Warrick stepped off the stairs, taking another step past Sara to take a look at the plants hanging on the lines. "Man, if our suspects got everything on those lines, they made out like fat cats."

"Yeah, but they were only interested in the dried stuff." Greg pointed out, bagging another piece of evidence. "You know guys, this could be a territory war? Maybe the kids were just collateral." He suggested, holding open a bindle for Nick.

"If this _was_ a territory war or somethin' like that, wouldn't the dealer wonna take the new growth?" Nick indicated towards the growing plants. "It would be easier to steal them to put these parents out of business rather than to kill em all and dump their bodies somewhere."

Brushing her hair back behind her ear, Sara looked around at all the growing plants then towards the few leaves left on the drying lines above Greg's head, suggesting, "Maybe one of the customers got greedy?"

"Well, we're talking about getting rich," Warrick spoke up. "Not getting high, you know? These dry ones go a lot faster than those." He indicated towards the ones by Sara that were still growing. "The price of an ounce these days is anywhere from two hundred to four hundred dollars."

Greg whistled as he labelled up the bag in his hands. "My parents openly admitted they did drugs in college, but they never advertised it this much around me when I was still as young as these kids."

"Some parents don't know what to protect their kids from, others openly advertise it like this." Sara sighed as she looked around at it all. "This proves my point that there are no perfect parents. The Sheriff thought they were the perfect family, do you think he knew about all of this?"

All three men responded with a shrug.

"Don't you guys think it's weird that the McBride's did all this with two kids in the house? Especially one as young as Cassie?" Greg asked as he held open another bindle for Nick.

"Yeah," Nick scoffed. "If they didn't care before, I bet they do now."

Giving Nick a half smile, Greg labelled up the next bindle in his hands, taking a look at the leaves inside before he sealed it to look at in more detail later in the lab. "Do think they'd notice if any went missing?"

"Greg!" The three older CSI's gave him a stern warning.

"I was so kidding." He chuckled to them, shaking his head to them all as they were all so gullible. "I haven't touched the stuff since my experimental college days. And I for one am never exposing my child to this stuff. If I ever had one that is."

"Ha, who would have ever thought we'd hear that from Greg Sanders." Warrick smirked.

"I'm very mature now." He grinned over at him, boxing up his evidence.

"Don't nark him, he's tellin' the truth." Nick backed him up, giving his friends a smile as they turned to look at him. "C'mon, we haven't seen the old Gregster in a while."

"True." Warrick agreed, suspiciously looking between the two of them. They both had a warm glow in their eyes as they looked between one another. Warrick suspected it may have been from a shared intimate encounter as he had never seen a look like that in Nick's eyes before.

"Hey Nicky, did the Sheriff get back to you on the phone records yet?" Greg queried to change the subject from his maturity to more pressing matters.

"Nah." Nick shook his head as he reached for his phone from the clip on his belt. "I better call the lab to send a tech out here, so we can send some of this stuff back to the lab to be processed. Greg can you check with the Sheriff on the phone records while Sara and Warrick finish up down here?"

"Done. Then we're stopping for lunch, I'm starving." Greg rubbed his empty stomach, giving them all a smile before he head off up the stairs to find the Sheriff.

"Me too." Sara agreed, smiling towards her boss. "I came out here on my day off to help you guys out, and I missed out on dinner."

"Sorry." Nick gave her an apologetic smile as stepped around her, heading off towards the stairs with his phone in his hands. "I'll be out by my truck." He told them before he disappeared off up the stairs, heading off through the house towards the front door where Greg was stood talking to the Sheriff.

"Hey Warrick," Turning to face the CSI behind her, Sara gave him a curious look, judging whether she could trust him or not before she spoke up, "Do you think that there's something going on between Nick and Greg?" Warrick looked around at her wide eyed. "I know he's your friend and all, but I just get this... weird vibe every time they look at each other. And Greg just told me he's going on vacation alone, and Nick's going the exact same place, alone."

"Shit." Warrick anxiously scratched his chin as he could neither confirm nor deny her findings as he had made a promise to his best friend that he wouldn't tell anybody. "It's eh... shouldn't you be talking to them about this?"

"You know something?" Taking a step closer to Warrick, Sara checked the stairs were empty before whispering, "Are they dating? I heard from the hospital staff that Greg was there every day with Nick. Is that when all this started."

"Don't be so nosy." He warned her. "It's really none of our business if they are or not."

"Puh-lease, Greg hasn't stopped teasing me about Grissom all day. This is completely my business."

"Just admit you are already and get it over with then." He chuckled softly, shaking his head at her as she started to blush. "You personally may be able to discreetly date people, but Grissom is just too easy to read. I didn't know it was you until Greg said something, now it's completely obvious."

"Crap."

Gently patting his fellow CSI on the shoulder, Warrick gave her a gentle smile as he looked into her eyes. "Maybe you should stop lying to them, then if they truly are dating they might feel more comfortable to tell you once they know your secret." He suggested then stepped around her to get on with some evidence collecting.

* * *

Opening up the back of his truck, Nick gave out a soft sigh as he took a seat on the back while he waited for Ecklie's assistant to answer the phone. "Thanks Sheriff." Greg gave him a warm smile as he took the records from his hands. Greg slowly head over to Nick's truck while he flipped through them in his hands, giving Nick a half smile as he approached him.

"Hey, whatcha got?" Nick moved the phone away from his ear, taking the records from the younger CSI's hands. "No outgoin' calls after six pm." He read then raised the phone to his ear as someone finally answered. "Yeah, it's CSI Nick Stokes. I need to talk to Ecklie . . . thanks." Nick looked up at Greg as they put him on hold. "There's no activity all weekend until this incomin' call Sunday night. Can you run that number?" He pointed to it on the log in front of him.

"Yeah, sure." Greg took the logs back, heading round to the back seat where his laptop was sat to run the number. "Hey Nicky, you get that number from the anonymous 9 – 1 – 1 caller?" He called out to him.

"Yeah." Nick handed it through the seats to him, watching Greg cross referencing it with the number on the log sheet in front of him. "Whatsup?"

"Anonymous 9 – 1 – 1 caller called the house several times last night too. It's the number of a local doctor... a doctor Malcolm Parker." He reported.

"Cool, I'll get Sara to check it out later."

"I'll go help them finish up." Climbing out of Nick's truck, Greg head round to the back, setting the call logs down beside Nick. "Are you okay?" He queried as he looked into Nick's eyes.

"Why does everyone keep askin' me that?"

"Because less than two months ago you were in a dirt hole." Greg spoke so casually, giving Nick a half smile. "And we're worried about you. We ask because we care."

"I'm fine Greg." He assured him. "I must be for Grissom to put me in charge."

"Okay, just checking. You know how much I lo... care about you." Greg quickly changed what he was about to say, hoping Nick didn't notice.

Nick gave him a curious look then raised the phone to his ear again as Ecklie finally answered. "Hi Ecklie, it's Nick. I'm down in Lincoln County and I need a lab tech to come and pick up some evidence to process . . . yeah sure, it's eh..."

Greg watched Nick getting back to work like a professional CSI again as if nothing had ever happened to him. He gave the older man a slight smile as he was proud of him before he head off back towards the house, heading down to the basement to help out Warrick and Sara with the rest of the evidence.

* * *

A few hours later while Sara was out talking to the doctor about the phone calls he made to the McBride family home, Warrick and Greg continued bagging and tagging evidence from the crime scene. While everyone else was working, Nick sat himself down outside on the front door step with a log sheet sat down on his lap. He was attempting to plan out the amount of time their murderer or murderers would have had to hide the McBride's bodies if it really was their blood that was staining the family foyer.

Just as he was about to give up on his theory of a territory drug war again, a car pulled up in the distance and a woman stepped out in hippie like apparel.

Nick gave her a curious look as she walked over to him, wondering if she had anything to do with the crime scene they were currently investigating. "Hello there." She called over to him, slowly taking a few steps closer as the gentle breeze of the afternoon brushed its way through her long wavy hair.

"Hi, can I help you?" Shielding his eyes from the sun, Nick gave her an inquisitive look as she took another step closer, folding her arms across her chest.

"Yeah, my names Sage. I'm looking for Nina. Nina McBride, she lives here." She indicated towards the house he was sat in front of.

"Yeah, so am I actually." Giving her a questioning look to judge her reaction before he started asking his questions to find out some more information, "When's the last time you saw her, Nina that is?"

"Um... she left work early on Friday to see Jimmy Buffet in Tahoe, but then she never showed up at the shop today." The concerned young woman explained. "She's never late and she never takes so much as a sick day off, so I was a little worried."

"Sorry, what was your name again?"

"I'm Sage," She smiled as she placed her hand on her chest. "And you are?"

"Oh I'm... I'm Nick Stokes. I'm from the Las Vegas crime lab." Setting down the things in his hands, Nick looked up at her as he continued his questioning. "Sage, maybe you can help me out here. So you work with Nina at the book store, what do you know about the family?"

"Well, Nina and Jude have two kids," She started. "Jeremy and Cassie. They adore those kids."

"Did you know if they were havin' any problems?" He queried next, finding it hard to believe that drug dealing parents adored their kids. "Marital problems, anythin' like that?"

"Are you kidding?" She ridiculed, shaking her head at him. "Jude and Nina had the marriage we all wanted. They were perfect for each other. They were even Highschool sweethearts. They never even fought."

"Really?"

Leaning forwards, Sage gently touched Nick's forehead with her fingertips. "You know, your third eye is so open right now. Are you having visions or hearing voices?" She suddenly asked him, making Nick wonder if she was one of the McBride's customers as she was a little out of her mind.

"No." He shook his head.

"I'm really sorry, but you're radiating this crazy feminine energy." Nick smiled at the crazy lady, wondering what she was on about. "Tell me, have you recently found love or maybe had a spiritual awakening?"

Nick shook his head slightly again. "Um... no, I don't think so."

Crouching down to Nick's level, Sage dropped her hands to her lap, looking up into his soulful brown eyes. "Mm-hmm, do you believe in past lives?"

"No, ma'am."

"How come?" She quizzically asked.

Nick gave her a slight shrug as he shielded his eyes from the rising sunlight again. "I guess . . . because I'm just tryin' to make it through this one." He explained in a quiet voice.

"Well... I think you're doing pretty well." She winked up at him then climbed to her feet, slowly striding back towards her car on the driveway.

Watching her go, Nick suddenly climbed to his feet, stopping her from leaving. "Hey eh... Sage," When she turned to look at him, Nick gave her a slight smile, not knowing why but he had the sudden urge to thank her. "Thanks."

Sage's features spread into a smile before she turned and climbed into her car, slowly backing out of the driveway before she disappeared from Nick's line of sight completely in the trees.

"Hey." Greg gently tapped Nick on the shoulder, taking a step back as the startled man quickly turned to face him. "Sorry, sorry. I thought you heard me coming." He immediately apologised.

"It's okay." He assured him, wishing people would stop sneaking up on him as his heart felt as though it was about to have an attack every time they did it. "Whatsup?"

"I just got a call from Catherine. We sent over the fingerprints we found to her." He reminded him. "She said there were dozens of unknowns, none of them were in the system, but she expanded the search and found a Mark Horvatin." He explained. "He's seventeen years old and he attends the local Highschool with Jeremy, but his print wasn't one of the ones in blood so he might just be a friend."

"Thanks, I'll go check it out anyway." Nick winked at him then grabbed his water bottle and clipboard off the front step.

"Hey Nicky, are you..."

"Don't ask me again G." He warned him, adjusting the baseball cap on his head. "Just, finish up here would yah? I'll talk to you later." Greg nodded to him, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he watched Nick heading off towards the Sheriff to tell him about their first suspect to check out.

* * *

Nick rode shotgun in the Sheriff's squad car off towards the Highschool to find Mark Horvatin, leaving Warrick and Greg to finish up at the house. The Sheriff led Nick around the school towards the parking lot where Mark was just leaving after a game.

"Hey Mark," The Sheriff stopped him at the edge of the parking lot, finding it hard to believe that a kid he had known for a long time could possibly be involved with a murder, but as Nick had explained to him in the car, they had to check every lead. "This is CSI Nick Stokes from the Las Vegas Crime lab," He introduced him to the man stood beside him. "He's gonna ask you a few questions, okay?"

Mark nodded then looked towards Nick curiously as the man had been looking at his feet since he walked over to him. "Hi Mark, what size shoe do you wear?"

"Um... twelve, why?" The nervous teen looked towards the Sheriff.

"Can I see the bottom?" Nick asked next, observing the young boy's nervousness as a sign of guilt.

"Um... I dunno, should I get my dad?"

"No, we're just talkin'." Nick gave him a soft smile, pulling his flashlight from his pocket as the teen raised one foot to show Nick the bottom of his sneakers. "Oh, they're new, huh?"

"Y-yeah, I got em this weekend." He nodded, looking towards the Sheriff nervously. "My old ones were thrashed. Anyway, if that's all, I should really go." He indicated towards his car, taking an uneasy step past Nick to get to the back of his car. He looked at the two law enforcement guys in front of him anxiously as he dumped his gear on the back seat of his car.

"Huh, you know when I played ball," Nick stepped up beside him, adjusting the baseball cap on his head as he looked at the edgy teen. "I used to stick my gear in the trunk of my car." He figured Mark wouldn't want them to see in the trunk as there might be something incriminating inside. "Sheriff, is this parkin' lot school property?" The Sheriff nodded over to him. "Okay Mark, why doncha go ahead and pop the trunk for me?" Nick suggested.

"Go ahead." The Sheriff nodded to the sweating young man.

Apprehensively, Mark stepped around Nick, heading round to the trunk of his car. He glanced up at the two men through a fearful gaze then popped open the trunk, revealing the bags of dried marijuana inside. He practically jumped out of his skin as the CSI beside him snapping on a white latex glove as he reached inside the car to open up one of the bags. He gave the teen beside him a suspicious look while the Sheriff was giving him one of disappointment.

Nick stepped away while one of the Sheriff's boy's arrested Mark. He pulled his cell from his pocket, calling Greg to come and pick up the evidence from the car then gave Sara a call to meet him at the station so they could both interrogate Mark on the whereabouts of the McBride family or who else was involved when he stole the marijuana.

* * *

"Finally, I thought we were never gonna stop for lunch." Greg sighed as he dropped to the park bench where Sara, Warrick and Nick were already sat. "So, what have we got?"

"To eat or case wise?" Sara smirked as she handed him over one of the egg salad sandwiches she had made. Greg gave her a grateful smile then stole Nick's water bottle from in front of him to take a sip.

Nick just gave him a smile then felt his phone vibrating against his hip. "Catherine?" He spoke as he answered it, "What have you got for me?" He queried, climbing up from the bench.

Sara watched him walking away; giving him a concerned look before she turned back to the table, watching Warrick sharing one of his chicken sandwiches with Greg as his new wife Tina had packed him a whole bundle. "How did you end up forgetting your lunch anyway Greg?" She smirked as he was always thinking of food back in Vegas.

"I..." Greg stopped himself before he said '_I slept over at Nick's and we were making out all morning so I forgot to pack one,' _as he really didn't want to expose them at a park bench around kids. "I... I just forgot. I didn't know we'd be going this far out today, so I figured I coulda bought something from the vending machines at the lab."

"Well there's plenty here." Warrick indicated towards his own. "I swear Tina must have thought I was going off to war with the amount of food she packed." She smirked as he handed Greg another sandwich.

"Maybe she's trying to fatten you up, it's a known fact that a porker won't cheat." Greg teased him, dodging a slap to his head. "I was kidding. How can you know me and not know that was a joke?" He giggled softly.

"Because I don't cheat on women." He informed the rookie.

"Tell that to Catherine."

Warrick was fully expecting Greg to say that, but the statement came from Sara across the table. "I'm not... sleeping with Catherine." He almost stammered, knowing that would be a very bad thing to do in front of two CSI's that were trained to notice things regular people didn't. "Catherine and I are _just_ friends." He assured them both.

"Course, because the jealous rage she went in after she found out you were married is totally natural." Sara remarked, reaching for her juice bottle from beside her. "Even if you don't have a thing for her, I think we can all see that she has or ever _had_ a thing for you."

Warrick looked at her surprised as he had never noticed Catherine's desire for him was that noticeable. He thought she went into a jealous rage because he didn't tell her as a friend, but now he was seeing things from a whole new perspective.

"Hey, DNA confirmed to everyone... _but_ Cassie." Nick reported, dropping back onto the bench beside Sara again.

"Interesting." Sara answered first, giving him a quizzical look.

"Mm-hmm." Nick nodded to her, reaching for one of his fries from the burger sat in front of him. It wasn't as greasy as the ones back home in Vegas, but it still had a great addictive, salty taste to it. "Oh and the bloody footprints closest to the front door were both Jeremy's. Catherine figured he was the first to go down. Jude, his father came runnin' in to see what the noise was, he got his shoes in his sons blood. Nina, the mother must have been upstairs at the time. Her blood was on the stairs and she had both Jeremy and Jude's blood in her footprints." He explained in between bites of his burger, not noticing Greg staring intensely at his lips.

"What about the kid, the little girl?" Warrick queried.

"None of her blood anywhere. Either her death was a bloodless crime or they took her alive." Nick said with hope, making Sara look at him surprised.

The team discussed the rest of their case for their lunch break until the Sheriff arrived, ready to take them off to their next suspect's house. He managed to pull a surveillance video off an ATM of Mark's friend Peter from the night of the McBride family murders.

"It's a little grainy, can't see much." The Sheriff sighed softly as he handed the tape over to them.

"I'll get it over to Arch back at the lab," Warrick suggested as he climbed to his feet. "That's alright, right boss?" He smiled over at Nick.

"Yeah, sure. Thanks Sheriff." Nick smiled up at him.

Sara waved Warrick off, watching him climbing back into his car to head back to Vegas then turned her head to look back towards Greg and Nick. "Alright, let's head over to Peter Locke's house and see what we can find." She suggested, catching onto Greg who was not so subtly indicating towards Nick who was meant to be in charge. "Opps... sorry for stepping on your toes there boss." She gave him a soft smile. "What do you think we should do?"

"No, it's okay. You guys go ahead with that." He nodded to them. "You can check out the house, I'll catch up."

Sara smiled to Greg, waiting for him to leave before she turned her head towards Nick, giving him a curious look in the eye. "Are you okay Nick?"

"Oh my god Sara, would you just drop it already?" He snapped at her. "I was buried alive and I'm fine. Would you stop watchin' me like a hawk? I've got enough people breathin' down my neck about this at the lab; I don't need it from you too."

"I just meant... you think this girl Cassie is alive, don't you?"

Nick nodded his head slightly. "You don't?" When Sara shook her head, Nick gave out a soft sigh. "But there was none of her blood found at the house. And I know what you're gonna say, but she wasn't drugged. She's a smart little girl. She hid the cough medicine in her sneaker, that's like hidin' yah greens in a napkin or stuffin' the thermometer down the back of a radiator when you don't wonna go to school. I don't think they killed her." Looking over at the children playing with a puppy in the distance, Nick's lips spread into a slight smile. "These kids were out to get high. I don't think they'd kill a little girl to do that."

"Nick, how can you say that? They killed Jeremy." She reminded him. "They killed his father and his mother while she running away. What makes you think that this girl is alive?" Sara asked him, wondering if he was really okay, but she didn't want to get her head bitten off again.

"I just... have this feelin'."

"Nick, you have to look at the evidence. I hope to god that she is alive and that you're right, but everything in our past experience tells us that this little girl and her family are all dead."

Nick nodded slightly, turning to rest his elbows on the picnic bench. "It doesn't mean that we should just give up though. If they're out there... any of them. We have to find them."

"We're not giving up." She assured him, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. "It's just that... you're acting as though we're on a rescue mission, that we're gonna rescue a person, not recover a body. On this job... that's just not the case."

Nick nodded to her, turning his eyes to look into hers. "I was rescued Sara."

"It was not your day to die." Swallowing the large lump in her throat, Sara ran her eyes across the scars of the ant bites across the back of Nick's arm. "We were all hoping that you would be alive, and all the evidence supported that. We could see you. We knew the guy was desperate. And we never gave up hope on finding you. But this case, all the evidence is leading to the fact that this family is dead."

"Not Cassie." He shook his head again.

"You didn't die because you weren't meant to Nick. When it's your day, it's your day. But it wasn't, and it's not going to be for a long time."

"I don't think it was Cassie's day to die. I can feel it." Climbing to his feet off the bench, Nick collected up the files and things in front of him, noticing Greg had left him half of his water bottle. "I know you don't believe in instincts and things like that Sara, but I can feel it. I don't think Cassie's dead. We have to find out what they did with her."

Sara nodded, giving out a soft sigh as she watched him walking away. She slowly turned towards the Sheriff's car, climbing into the back beside Greg. "Is he okay?" Greg queried. Sara gave him a shrug as she leant back in her seat to pull her seatbelt on. She really didn't know if Nick was okay or if he was ever going to be, she felt as though what had happened to him had broken his spirit for good.

Nick sat on another bench in the shade once the Sheriff's car had gone, opening up the file in his hands on the table in front of him. Straight in front of him now were the four young children still playing with the puppy. He smiled slightly as he looked up at them then glanced back at a picture of ten year old Cassie in a photo, blowing a bubble with her Bubblicious bubble gum.

Picking up the evidence log, Nick noticed that Greg had found a packet of Bubblicious outside the McBride family home.

Reaching into his pocket, Nick retrieved his packet of Bubblicious, checking both ends were still sealed in case one had fallen out when he entered. But his packet was completely sealed. Nick involuntary shivered as he remembered having to use it to muffle the gun shot in his coffin, making him desperately want to go back home to get his meds that always seemed to take his mind off what had happened to him, but he was more desperate to try and find Cassie McBride, before it was too late.

* * *

**Thanks so much for all of your reviews on the last chapter! I'm glad you're enjoying this story. More intimacy with the boys will be coming up later on. Nick's just trying to get his head around things and Greg's giving him the time and space he needs to do that.**

**Please remember to review if you enjoyed it :D**

**~ Holly**


	11. Chapter 10: Believe

**Chapter Ten: Believe**

Glancing at his phone in his hands, Nick's features hardened as he looked at the photo Archie had just sent him. Without a second thought, the angry Texan stormed out of the observation room he was stood in, bursting straight into the interrogation room where Sara and the Sheriff were sat, charging straight for their latest suspect seventeen year old Peter Locke.

Angrily seizing the scared teen from his seat, Nick forced him up against the wall, demanding to know where Cassie McBride was. "No more screwin' around!" He shouted in a feral angry voice, grabbing handfuls of the boy's shirt as he held him securely against the wall. "Where is she?" He demanded.

Peter's lower lip started to quiver, but still, he said nothing.

As Nick shook him again, tears poured their way down his cheeks as he looked into the angry mans eyes before him. "Where is she?" Nick shouted, slightly calmer than the first one, but it was still enough to rattle a few more tears from the young boy's eyes. "Just tell me where she is!"

"Okay... Okay..." He whimpered, breaking as Nick's heavy fists shook him right to the core. "I'll tell you where she is... just please let me go."

* * *

Arriving back at the Lincoln County station after loading the last of the evidence up into the messengers borrowed Denali from the Las Vegas lab, Greg parked his car then looked across the parking lot towards Nick and the Sheriff quickly loading into a vehicle. He took a step back as the squad car drove by him then rushed over to Sara, giving her a curious look as she looked as though she had something on her mind.

"Did you find the bodies?" He asked, stepping up beside her. Sara shook her head slightly, wiping the sweat from her forehead. "Then, where's Nick and the Sheriff going?" He pointed after them.

"Oh, the kid... Peter. He told us where he and his friends took the bodies." After a soft sigh, Sara looked up into Greg's concerned gaze, giving him a slight smile in return. "Greg, you were absolutely right, I am dating Grissom. But you can't tell anyone. Understand?"

Greg gave her a suspicious frown. "What made you decide to tell me?"

"Because... you... y-you're like family to me Greg. You, Warrick, Nick... even Catherine. I think of you all as my family." She admitted to him. "And families should trust each other, so we should tell each other things, you know?"

"Sorry Sara, I stopped crushing on you after you blew me off for Hank. A man can only take so much rejection before he gets the message." Greg cheekily smiled in her direction, brightening Sara's smile as he always had the ability to cheer someone up, no matter how upset they were.

"I'm sorry about that Greg, but dating you, would be like dating my little brother. Weird, and very... incest." She struggled to think of the right words. "Don't get me wrong, I love you, just not in that way."

"Okay, so what do you want?" He sighed as he realised she was being too nice to him and people only did that when they wanted him to do something for them.

"Uh... I eh... I don't want anything. Am I not allowed to tell you who I'm dating?" Greg gave her a slight shrug. "Okay then."

Greg raised his eyebrows as he looked into her eyes. "Yes you do, I can tell. What do you want me to do? Take out your fat cousin for a night on the town. Pretend to be your boyfriend to make your SO jealous..."

Sara suddenly burst out laughing at him, quickly shaking her head as she placed both of her hands on his shoulders. "No Greg, I don't need you to _do_ anything. I just want you to trust me, like I trust you."

"I do trust you." He assured her, cocking one of his eyebrows as he looked into her eyes suspiciously. "Is Nick okay, what's wrong with him?"

"Okay, I'm gonna say something," Slowly pulling back her hands, Sara rested them on her sides, looking into Greg's eyes. "And if I'm totally off base, please don't bite my head off. But you... and Nick, you're... I mean, you are..."

"We are what?"

"Dating." She blurted, allowing the word to tumble off her tongue. "You are dating aren't you?" Greg's nervous smile, followed by the light blushing of his cheeks said it all for the curious CSI. "It's okay, I'm not gonna tell anyone." She quickly assured him. "I just had to know."

"Why did you _have_ to know?"

"Because Nick's going completely off the deep end, and if anyone can help him right now, I'm sure you can. I'll explain it on the drive." She explained then ushered Greg off towards her car in the lot so they could catch up with Nick.

* * *

Once Nick returned from the lake on his boat, Greg watched him walking with his head down across the dock while the Sheriff's deputies unloaded three body bags. Greg watched them carrying them off towards the coroner van that was standing by ready to take the bodies off to Doctor Robbins back in Vegas then turned back towards Nick, rushing off after him in case he needed someone.

It was his first big case since he got back to work and it just happened to be his biggest weakness, children.

Dropping heavily to one of the large boulders surrounding the lake, Nick dropped his head into his hands, grateful that this place was so big so that he could get some privacy from the other officers.

When a hand gently touched the sweaty spikes of hair on his forehead, Nick didn't even have to look up to know that it was Greg. The younger man took a seat beside him, facing his body the opposite way from Nick and the lake. "So, you didn't find Cassie?" He spoke softly.

Nick shook his head slightly. "I know she's alive though."

"If she is, we'll find her." Greg assured him, slowly reaching for Nick's hand to hold in his own. "You can't go beating yourself up over this Nicky. You're doing everything you possibly can to find her. That's more than anyone else is doing. Grissom was right to put you in charge. You're the guy who gets the job done, no matter what."

"I think he only put me in charge because I was first there." Nick sighed as he looked up at Greg for the first time since he got there.

"Not true." Greg shook his head, brushing his thumb across the back of Nick's quivering hand. "He picked you because you're the best for this type of case. No one else ever pushes themselves as hard as you do to find the missing link to a puzzle. You're a great CSI and you're a pretty darn good leader too."

Nick smiled up at him. "You _have_ to say that, you're my boyfriend."

"Even if I wasn't I'd still say it." Greg assured him, checking no one was looking before he leant forwards, touching his lips to Nick's temple. "Everyone has their weaknesses. But this is definitely your strength. This is something you can do." He smiled, tightening his grip on Nick's hand.

"Why do you believe in me so much G?"

"You're still alive aren't you?" Greg gave him a soft smile as Nick looked up into his eyes. "Big hearted guys are the best guys around, and you happen to be one of them. Grissom picked you because you're right for the job. I believe in you because you're a good man and you always give your best efforts to get things done."

"Even though I'm too scared to touch you?" Nick asked him. "I'm scared that I'm gonna push you are and hurt you, and that you're not gonna want me anymore."

"You don't have to be. I want you to be comfortable. I'm not going anywhere. Besides, you have a job to do, and when your minds focused on something, you're more focused on the bigger picture. Like finding Cassie." Nick gave him a slight smile. "So what are you waiting for Tex? Let's get back to work and find this Cassie McBride before it's too late."

"That's it."

"What's it?" Greg looked at him confused.

"Any cuter and I'm gonna have to kiss you Sanders." Nick couldn't resist him anyway; he just had to lean forwards and seize those perfect lips into a searing kiss. He quickly pulled back before anyone came looking for them, giving Greg a soft smile. "Hey, can I drop my therapist and just talk to you from now on?" He suggested. "You make everythin' better within a few minutes of talkin' to me."

"Works okay for me. Just so you know, I charge three kisses an hour." Greg cheekily added, giving Nick a smile as he slid off the boulder. "What do you want me to do now, boss?"

"Well, we have to figure out where Cassie is." Sliding off the boulder, Nick brushed down his clothes as he stepped up beside Greg. "Maybe we should talk to Mark and Peter's friends, find out who else was on that boat or in that car with them when they took Cassie."

"I can talk to Peter." Greg suggested, biting his lower lip as Nick looked up at him surprised.

"I take it Sara told you about what happened?" Greg nodded his head slightly. "And you still think I can do this?" Greg nodded his head again. "Okay bobble head, you can talk to Peter, call me when you get somethin'." Nick tapped his phone then quickly leant forwards, briefly touching his lips to Greg's for three passionate kisses. "You said three, right?"

"Yeah, but technically that was four." Greg giggled as licked his lips, slowly taking a few steps back from Nick so he could get focused on the task at hand. Nick gave Greg a smile to thank him for making him feel better then set off towards the Sheriff to talk about their next move. Greg smiled after him as he seemed to be focused again, ready to get back on the case and find their missing little girl.

"Nice work Greg." Sara winked at him as he re-joined her by her car.

"You weren't supposed to be watching." Greg sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "I didn't do what you said anyway."

"You didn't ask him why he's so focused on finding this Cassie girl alive, instead of dead like we know she is."

"Nope." Greg shook his head. "Let's save the 'I told you so's' for later. Right now we need Nick focused. The best way to do that is to agree and support him, and I do. We've found bubble gum from the house, and the boat leading us to here. We didn't find her body, so maybe they wimped out and couldn't kill her. I fully support Nick on this." Greg assured her then head round to the passenger side of her car to get a lift back to the station with her where he had left his car.

* * *

A couple of hours later, Greg and Sara managed to weasel the name of the other boy out of Peter Locke. The Sheriff, Nick and Sara head straight over to Luke Daniels house while Greg stayed at the station, receiving the autopsy reports via fax from Warrick back in Vegas. Once Greg received the ballistics report from the bullets found in the McBride's deceased bodies, Greg managed to track down a licence for the gun of the same make, leading them straight to Luke Daniels' father Chris.

Sara brought the gun back in an evidence bag, handing it over to Greg to drive back to Vegas while Nick, Sara and the Sheriff proceeded on wrapping up the case by talking to Luke Daniels about what happened at the McBride family home that night.

Greg took the gun straight off towards Bobby Dawson's lab once he got back to Vegas, mindlessly spinning round on one of the swivel chairs in the lab while he waited for Bobby to conduct all sorts of tests to confirm whether or not it was the gun that killed Jude, Nina, Jeremy and possibly Cassie McBride.

"Greg." Bobby gently shook Greg awake as he had fallen asleep. Once Greg opened his eyes and sat up straight, Bobby handed him his ballistics report from his hands. "The striations match. This is definitely your murder weapon."

"Murder weapon to get high." Greg sighed as he took the results from his hands. "Thanks, I'll call Nick." Giving the ballistics lab tech a grateful smile, Greg head off out the lab and down the hall towards one of the empty, sound proof layout rooms. Pulling his phone from his pocket once he was in there, Greg set out the file on the table in front of him, hitting Nick's speed dial on his phone.

After three rings, the Texan's delicious drawl rasped into his ear. "_Stokes."_

"Hey it's me, I gotcha results from ballistics." Greg spoke softly, resting on his elbow on the table. "The striations match. It was definitely Chris Daniels' gun that killed Jude, Nina and Jeremy." Resting his chin in his hands, Greg listened to Nick's soft breathing over the line before he asked, "What about you, what have you got over your end?"

"_Sara's in talkin' with Luke now. He's more talkative then the other two; she thought it best that I sit this one out though. He admitted that they ran out of bullets at the house, that's why they didn't kill Cassie there like the others."_

"Has he said what he did with..."

"_Not yet."_ Nick cut him off, knowing what Greg was going to say. "_I'm gonna go talk to Peter again in a minute, or get Sara to do it. You should head home G, you've worked two double shifts in a row, you must be exhausted."_

"I am, but I can wait for you, if you want?"

"_Nope, as your boss for today, I insist you go home."_ Nick smiled through his phone, watching Sara coming out of the interrogation room from Luke, shaking her head over at him as he didn't tell her anything useful. "_Looks like I'm gonna be here a while yet, you've got the spare key to my place still right?"_

"Yep," Greg nodded into his phone as he felt for them in his pocket. "You want me to sleep at your place again? My mother's really gonna over load me with the questions when I have to go over for a change of clothes."

"_You said it yourself G, there's too many girls over your place and you can never sleep. You can sleep at my place, I really don't mind. I just wish I was there with you."_

"You're adorable Nicky." He smiled into his cell phone, holding it closer to his ear as he ran his fingers through his dishevelled spikes of hair. "I'll see you later, don't work yourself too hard... or do even so you can wrap it up..."

"_And find Cassie?"_

"Exactly. You _will_ find her." Greg assured him. "I have faith in you."

"_Thanks Greg, that means a lot to me. But it's the how that I'm worried about."_ Inhaling a deep breath, Nick held the phone closer to his own ear as he listened to Greg's whistled breathing through the phone. "_I'll see you later G, don't worry about me, I'm fine."_ He assured him.

"Okay." Greg sighed softly. "Bye Nicky."

Nick relicked his lower lip, still able to taste their last kiss before he signed off, "_Buh bye Greg, sweet dreams."_ He smiled into his cell phone again, brushing his index finger across his lower lip as he desperately wanted to kiss his young lover again.

Greg eventually hung up first as Nick was reluctant to, slowly beginning to clear away the file with the rest of the evidence before he stopped by Catherine's office to say goodbye. He felt a little funny heading straight over his boyfriend's house to go to sleep when he wasn't there, but he couldn't complain as Nick's bed was a lot comfier than his own and it smelt completely of Nick, surrounding him in his warmth when he wasn't even there.

* * *

Slowly awaking from his deep slumber a few hours later, Greg reached one of his arms out to the other side of the bed, searching for Nick's warmth. He quickly opened his eyes as Nick's side of the bed was un-slept in then quickly searched the room for his clothes or signs that Nick had been in there.

Greg gave out a wide yawn then crawled across to the other end of the bed, reaching for his phone in the back pocket of his jeans. He looked at the time realising it was late in the afternoon the next day, and his last phone call to Nick was thirteen hours ago, immediately making him worry.

Greg quickly hit his speed dial to find out where he was, fearing he had been abducted again or worse.

Glancing up towards the doorway of Nick's bedroom door as he heard a ringing noise echoing through the house, Greg smiled surprised as he saw Nick in the doorway, holding his phone in one hand and a coffee tray in the other.

Nick snapped his phone shut in his hand, smiling at Greg as he slowly made his way over to him. "Where have you been?" Greg immediately asked as Nick made his way over to the bedside table, freeing up his hands before he took a seat on the bed, watching Greg rolling over onto his back to face him. "Did you find her, what happened?" He immediately asked.

"I found her." Nick nodded; placing one hand the other side of Greg's body as he leant down to press their lips together. "She's alive." He whispered as he pulled back. "I saved her because you had faith in me."

"You saved her because you're you." Greg smiled up at him. "So, where were you?"

"Hospital, with Cassie." Opening his jacket, Nick pulled out a folded piece of paper, turning it round to face Greg. The younger man took it into his hands, looking at the child's drawing of a lake and a house on the front. He smiled up at Nick as he read the words '_Thanks for finding me!'_ written on the front then slowly opened it up to read the inside. "Sweet isn't it?"

Greg nodded his head, noticing the glazed expression in his boyfriend's eyes. "C'mere Nicky." Greg opened his arms to him, watching as Nick quickly flipped off his boots and removed his coat before he relaxed in Greg's open arms; resting his head on the younger mans shoulder. He closed his eyes against him, savouring the warmth of his bed mate's strong grip around him. "This doesn't feel weird does it?"

Nick shook his head. "No, it feels right. Especially the comin' home to you part."

Greg smiled down at him, resting his head against Nick's as he clutched him tightly. "Don't bite my head off or anything Nicky... but... you're okay, aren't you? Sara said you completely lost it in the interrogation room and went after that kid."

"Yeah, I'm okay." He assured him. "Cassie's a brave little girl. I think she's gonna be alright. I thought she was dead when I found her, but when I found her pulse, I knew I was meant to find her and save her." He spoke softly as he circled his fingertips around the buttons of Greg's pyjamas. "I didn't mean to go off the deep end like that; I can't control myself when I'm angry."

"I understand." Greg whispered, touching his lips to Nick's forehead. "You were set on finding this little girl that you would do anything to get the information you needed. If you ask me, we need more people like you in the force. Most of them are so worried about politics that they have to get warrants and all sorts of crap just to sit around and scratch their arses while they wait for the case solve itself."

"I'll give you that one. But for some of that you were voicing Catherine." Nick smirked, feeling completely at peace in the arms of another man. "I feel like I could sleep a month after this case." He yawned as he slid one of his hands down the centre of Greg's warm body, noticing the tartan pattern of his pyjamas. "Hey, where'd these come from?" He queried, admiring the soft blue fabric against Greg's skin.

"Oh, I went home and got some pyjamas and a change of clothes." Greg smiled as he rested his chin against Nick's beautiful head of hair. "I didn't wonna change into smelly clothes in the morning. Just don't tell the guys at the lab that I wear patterned pyjamas. My mother insisted if I was going to sleep over at yours I had to bring pyjamas. She still treats me like a kid and I can never get rid of her, especially now that the triplets are around."

"You look adorable." Nick smiled up at him.

"No I don't. And you can't tell anyone at the lab, I'll seriously kill you if you embarrass me in front of them." The younger man warned him.

"Why can't I brag about how cute my boyfriend is in his jammies?" Nick queried through a wide grin.

"Because my mother bought them for me last Christmas. They're okay, I like their soft fabric." He giggled, shivering as Nick's hand smoothed down the front of his pyjamas to feel it for himself.

"I like em." Breathing in the younger mans masculine scent; Nick readjusted himself against Greg so they were eye level, feathering his fingertips down the side of his face as he looked down into his eyes. "I seriously can't wait to go on vacation with you. And I really, really like you Greg." He whispered as he brought their lips together for another one of those heavenly kisses he was starting to crave. He was amazed at the fact that kissing Greg could melt his heart and chill his spine at the same time.

The deeper he kissed him, the more intense the feeling got.

"Greg, wait..." Nick pulled back as Greg's hands found their way to his hips. "Wait a sec." The older man gasped for breath, rolling onto the empty side of the bed next to Greg. The younger man looked at him in despair, hoping that it wasn't over when it only just began.

Nick's chest heaved as he tried to settle his mind, silencing that annoying panic alarm so he could continue making out with his boyfriend after a tough day, just like normal people did. But no matter how hard he tried to convince himself, he just couldn't see this as normal. "Shit, I can't do this with you Greg."

Greg gulped hard; fearing 'the big gay freak out' had come early for the suppressed Texan, "Do what?"

"This, I'm always gonna let you down. One second I think that bein' with you is gonna be fine and then the next I'm worryin' about everythin'."

"Everything, like what?" Greg queried, rolling onto his side. "I thought you said you wanted to grab hold of all of the opportunities you took for granted in the past? Aren't I one of those?"

"Yes, of course you are." Nick turned his head to look Greg in the eye. "I just... I don't know what I'm supposed to do. My minds pullin' me away but... I want you. And that's the weirdest thing I've ever said to my best friend, but I want you to be so much more than that, I just can't."

"Because you're scared?" Greg asked in a soft whisper. "You don't have to be the big brave macho about this. I'm scared too. But if you want something bad enough, you go for it or you wait for it." He softly smiled as Nick looked round at him. "I can go if you wonna be alone?" He suggested.

"How's that gonna help me?" Nick asked, rolling onto his side to face Greg. "I want you with me, and you can't be with me if I keep pushin' you away." He pointed out to him. "I can't wait for this vacation, maybe when I know that it's just the two of us and no one else, I'll feel more comfortable. You know I really like you though don't you?"

"I know you do." Greg nodded through a soft smile, understanding what Nick was secretly trying to tell him. "C'mere... for a hug." Greg quickly explained as he opened his arms to him. "I'm not gonna jump you in your sleep." He giggled softly as Nick hesitantly moved closer to him. "Just relax like you were before." He whispered as he could feel Nick's tense body against him.

Nick slowly began to relax back into his embrace, wondering what he was so worried about in the first place. "I'm sorry, you must think I'm bein' ridiculous."

"Nope, I think you're being you. The fact that you're still here proves that you really want this to work." Greg smiled as he rested his head back against Nick's, feeling Nick relaxing even more against him. "I can't wait for the two of us to be alone either." He admitted, circling his arms around Nick's body again to pull him tightly against the soft fabric of his pyjamas. Nick had no idea just how much Greg had been craving to snuggle while they slept for the five years straight, but he was starting to enjoy the snuggling himself, making him wish he could sleep in Greg's arms forever.

* * *

**Thanks so much for all of your inspirational reviews! I hope you enjoyed that chapter :D Don't forget to leave a review of what you thought. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas or Holiday, whatever you're celebrating :)**

**~ Holly**


	12. Chapter 11: My New Boyfriend

**Chapter Eleven: My New Boyfriend**

"Bye Mom." Greg called out to his mother as he head off towards the front door, pulling his coat on as he fumbled inside his pocket for his keys.

"Off to Nicky's again?" Jean appeared from behind him, giving him a wide smile as he turned to look at her. "Don't think I don't know what's going on. I wasn't born yesterday." She chuckled, folding her arms across her chest. "Just tell me that you're being safe."

"Mom, even if I was having... you know with Nick," He didn't want to say it out loud as the triplets were in the next room watching a movie and he didn't fancy explaining sex to them when they were only four years old. "I certainly wouldn't tell you about it. It's my life. I'll do what I want with it." He smiled at her, reaching for the door behind him.

"So you're not... being intimate with Nick or you're not being safe?" She queried, taking a few steps closer towards him. When Greg frowned at her, she changed her line of questioning, "Is it because of him? Maybe he's just not into you like that sweetheart."

"Mom, please don't do this to me." He pleaded, looking into her eyes. "Nick really likes me. We're just taking things slow. I'm the first guy he's ever dated, and he was just recently buried alive in a box that was filled with fire ants." He reminded her. "Don't make me feel bad. I know Nick likes me. I wonna keep things simple for his sake. So _please_, just don't make me feel bad. I don't need to deal with you on top of everything else." He begged her.

"I wasn't hassling you honey." She assured him, taking a few steps closer towards him. "I just... I don't like seeing you upset."

"I'm not." He insisted.

"But you've been really quiet, and you've barely ever been here. Is it all because of Nick? You can talk to me honey; I do know a thing or two about boys." She chuckled as she tapped her son on the arm. "I have been married to one for the last thirty one years." She reminded him. "I know them a lot more than you do sweetheart."

"Mom, please." He begged again. "I don't need this right now. Have the mother, daughter boyfriend's talk you've been craving for years with Lita. I don't need it." He insisted, going for the door again.

"Honey," She blocked his path to the doorway again. "Boys don't see things as complicated as girls do. And if something needs fixing, they only see one solution. Like your father with the drippy tap. Do you remember that?"

Greg raised his eyebrows to her, "You're comparing my relationship with Nick to a drippy tap?"

"Yes, I'll get to the conclusion eventually." She chuckled, shaking her head at her clueless son. "I suggested to your father that we call a plumber, but he insisted on doing it himself. Then when I suggested that we buy a new tap as it kept dripping, he insisted that he just patched up the old one. Men don't see the complications. They think they know best. They see their own solution to something, and then they think that's it, problem solved." Greg glared at her open mouthed, wondering where her rambling was going. "What I mean is, if there's a problem in your relationship, a man will only see one solution. With your father when I was mad at him for being away so much, he bought me things. Bracelets, necklaces, sexy lingerie..."

"Oh my god, mother!" He rushed to cover his ears. "Please tell me you're getting to your point soon?" He begged her as he was now even more desperate to leave.

"Don't get snippy with me Gregory; I was only trying to help." She scolded him. "Maybe Nicky does like you honey, but you two aren't that serious are you?" Greg just resumed nervously chewing his bottom lip. "See, this is what I mean. He's probably scared to do... you know what with you. So he's keeping your relationship at a distance..."

"I had actually figured that one out for myself." He pointed out to her.

"Oh but that's my point honey, relationships like that don't work. The two of you are never going to get serious if he's keeping you at arm's length. I had this boyfriend once that did that to me. He liked me too much as a friend, we dated for six months without any real intimacy then I find out he's sleeping with my best friend. He liked me too much as a friend to get serious, so he looked for intimacy elsewhere."

"Nick wouldn't do that to me." He assured her. "Now can you move before I'm late?"

"How about you invite him round for dinner?" She joyfully suggested, staying in front of the door so he couldn't leave.

"No, I can't go changing the situation on him. If he has dinner with _you_ he's gonna start to worry that I'm gonna want to have dinner with _his_ family. I want him to be comfortable. He's a _severely_ suppressed cowboy, and he's only just starting to get comfortable with me. Adding you to the mix would seriously freak him out."

"There's nothing wrong with a mother wanting to get to know her son's boyfriend." She protested.

"God... you're so annoying." He moaned, checking he had his phone in his pocket. "Just please leave him alone. Don't call him to arrange anything, nothing at all. If you do... I'll get a body piercing." He threatened, knowing exactly how she felt about them.

"You wouldn't dare." She gasped, but her shock didn't last long as her lips spread into a wide cheeky grin. "I bet Nicky would like that body piercing though. Where were you thinking of getting it?"

Greg rolled his eyes at her, giving out a heavy sigh, "You're so weird."

"Why?"

"Because... you're just so weird." Greg gently pushed her aside so he could reach for the door. "Bye Mom, don't wait up. Don't think about me, and definitely don't start a 'My gay son and his problems' blog." He warned her as he pulled the door towards him.

"Apparently the weirdness in runs in the family sweetheart." Jean chuckled, smiling as she waved after him then sighed softly as the door closed after him, shrieking, "My baby's in love!" at the top of her lungs once he was gone, only he wasn't far away enough and he heard every word.

* * *

Using his spare key to get into Nick's place, Greg dropped the grocery bags he had just picked up at the door while he pushed it shut with his foot. He rushed off to the bedroom as he heard panic breathing, finding Nick struggling against his bed covers. "Hey, hey Nicky!" Dropping onto the edge of his bed, Greg held down Nick's flailing arms as he tried to wake him up. "Nicky, you're okay. Wake up." He urged, securing his wrists down to the mattress to stop him from moving. "Nicky! Nicky, wake up."

Finally Nick shook himself awake, looking around the room disorientated as his breathing hitched in his throat. "Greg?" He croaked, peering through his sticky eyelashes up at him. "What are you doin' here?"

"I brought you dinner." Greg smiled softly, gently brushing his fingertips through Nick's sweaty head of hair. "Bad dream?"

Nick nodded up at him, licking his lips as he looked at the twinkling flecks of gold in Greg's eyes. "I'm better now you're here." He gasped for deep breaths of fresh air, noticing that Greg was sat on his hips a few minutes later. Instead of freaking him out like he thought, the simple act was a lot more comforting to him than he ever would have expected. He knew Greg had probably done it to try and restrain him and wasn't aware of how stimulating it was to the man beneath him, but to Nick it felt completely natural as if he was always mean to have the strong hard body of a man on top of him.

"Ah, get off." Nick suddenly whimpered, lifting Greg off his body.

"Did I hurt you?" Greg worried as he was pushed onto the mattress beside him.

"No, that's not the problem." Nick muttered under his breath as he readjusted the covers to hide what was under there. "So um... whaddya bring me for dinner then G?" He tried to change the subject as Greg was a guy and he knew how the male body worked a lot more than a woman.

"Actually, I eh... I brought ingredients." Greg couldn't help but smile as he realised why Nick was so nervous. "I'll eh... I'll give you some privacy."

"Wait!" Nick reached out for Greg's wrist to stop him from climbing off the bed, giving him a nervous smile. "Don't go yet."

Greg could still see the vulnerability in Nick's eyes from the nightmare he had just encountered, so he decided to stay even though Nick did look a little uncomfortable hiding the hard evidence beneath his thin bed sheets. "So eh... do you fancy a hot and spicy curry?" He asked, trying to get his mind off the nightmare.

"You're gonna make _me_ dinner?" Nick asked surprised.

"Yeah, I _can_ cook." Chuckling softly, Greg leant down to press his lips to Nick's temple. "You wonna shower and go for your run while I get it ready?" He suggested, giving the older man a soft smile as he gazed up into his eyes. "What's the matter?"

"Nothin'... I was just wonderin' how I managed to get such a great guy like you." He smiled up at him, entwining his fingers with Greg's on his chest. "And there's syrup in your hair." He suddenly noticed.

"Oh." Greg quickly brushed his fingers through his hair, removing the sticky syrup from his bleached spikes of hair.

"Some weird experiment you were tryin'?" The older man teased him.

"No, you try giving pancakes to hyper little triplets without getting any of the syrup down you. I changed my clothes but I didn't have time to shower because I wanted to get to the shops and make you some dinner before we head into work." He smirked, scrambling off the bed to go and wash his hands in the bathroom.

While Greg was preoccupied, Nick closed his eyes thinking back to a body they found out at Lake Mead once that had been out there for a few days and looked pretty mangled. He opened his eyes again then glanced beneath the covers, sighing in relief as the technique had once again worked its charm. "Hey G, I'm gonna have to really pamper you on our vacation." He called out to him, crawling towards the end of the bed as Greg came back in.

"You don't have to do that." Greg assured him as he stood in front of Nick with his hands on his hips. "I like helping you."

"You've been lookin' after me and them nonstop though, someone really needs you pamper you." Nick insisted as he climbed to his feet, wrapping his arms securely around Greg's body for a warm hug. "You're spoilin' me rotten with all the attention."

"Because you deserve it." Greg grinned at him, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "You've got time for your shower and run while I make your dinner."

Adjusting the shorts on his hips as he pulled back from Greg, Nick pressed his lips to the side of Greg's head then head over to his closet to grab his sweatpants and a clean t-shirt. Greg stole a glance of Nick's broad toned back before he slipped out the room, heading off towards the kitchen.

Nick slipped into his comfortable sneakers then head off to the kitchen, touching his lips to the back of Greg's neck. "Thanks for comin' over again G." He smiled as he clutched his arms around his waist for a brief moment, gently swaying his body against him as he felt the younger leaning back into his embrace. "Be back in a few."

Greg smiled widely as he turned his head to touch their lips together, savouring the warmth of Nick's minty lips against his own. "Bye." Greg breathed across his lips.

Nick winked back at him then slowly released his grip around Greg's waist, heading off towards the front door. Greg waved after him then turned back to his cooking once the door was shut, getting the curry ready for when Nick came back.

Nick inhaled and exhaled deep breaths his whole run, clearing the thoughts of coffins, being abducted and buried alive from his mind as he went on his usual route around the block, taking a short cut this time as he wanted to get back to Greg quicker, wanting to spend as much time with him as possible before they had to head off into work.

"Hey." He called out to him as he rushed back into the house. "Mmmm, that smells delicious."

"That was a quick run." Greg braced himself as Nick wrapped his arms around him, joining their lips together. "Mmm, you miss me that much?"

Nick grinned against his lips, gently sucking his curry tasting tongue into his mouth. "I'll go shower." Nick resisted the urge to strip his buddy of his clothing, deciding to quickly head off down the hall to take a cold shower while Greg admired the triangle of sweat that had formed around his neck and chest either side of Nick's t-shirt.

Nick quickly showered and got dressed then dropped into the empty seat at his dining table as Greg served him his dinner. "You know Greg, it's gonna take a lot more than you cookin' one of my favourite meals to get me into bed." Nick spoke up, suppressing the urge to smile as he wanted to see Greg's reaction to his statement that was meant as a joke.

Greg gave him a nervous smile as he sat down opposite him. "Well, t-that wasn't my intention... a-at all." He nervously stammered. "It's just you've cooked for me lots of times, so I thought I'd..."

"Relax G," Nick smiled across the table at him. "I wouldn't sleep with you tonight if you paid me. I rushed into sex with my other relationships because it was the only thing we had goin'. But that's not gonna happen with you because I can be myself around you, and I wonna do other things other than sex. Datin' you is excitin' and new, and I don't wonna skip a moment of it." He assured him, beaming a luscious smile across the table that made Greg's heart melt in his chest.

Greg let out a huge smile of relief, taking his fork into his hands for his first bite. "So, whaddya think?"

"Delicious." Nick rasped as he took another bite. "You're definitely cookin' for me again." He winked across the table at him. "Hey, how long have your parents been married?" Nick suddenly asked him.

"Um... thirty one years. It'll be thirty two this Christmas."

"Wow, that's a long time." Nick whistled, uncapping the water bottle sat in front of him. "So, if you're thirty, that means they married a year before they had you." Greg nodded to him. "My parents got married because they were pregnant with my big brother Chuck."

"Forty four years then," Greg calculated off the top of his head. "Why did you ask?"

"Because I heard somewhere that couples with parents in stable long lastin' relationships last longer together." He smiled towards Greg, hoping he wasn't freaking him out by discussin' their future together at only three months into dating.

"Just as long as you don't wonna have dinner with my folks; I'd say that's true." Greg snickered, taking another sip of his own drink. "We could go out on a real dinner date tomorrow, anywhere you like." Greg suggested, hoping Nick wouldn't shy away from a date in public with him.

"Um... yeah, I guess that would be okay." Apprehensively nodding as he looked into Greg's eyes, Nick gulped back his fear, not wanting to blow out that spark of happiness in Greg's eyes. "I'll have to treat you to a romantic dinner on our vacation though."

Greg's entire face exploded into a wide excitable grin. That was the face Nick wanted to see more often. He hadn't smiled like that in a long time and Nick felt as though he was to blame for that.

* * *

Wandering off into her uncle's bedroom the next day, Gracey Sanders looked over at Greg stood by the mirror curiously. "Hi munchkin." He waved to her, straightening the suit jacket he was wearing. "Do you think the blue t-shirt or the red one looks better?" He asked for her opinion as he was preparing for another date with Nick out in public tonight. Gracey looked at the two shirts curiously then pointed to the navy blue one that didn't have any logos or anything on it. "That was my first choice too." He smiled at her.

"Uncle Greg, are you gonna move?"

"Huh?" He looked round at her surprised.

"Are you gonna move? Mommy says you and Nicky love each other. When mommy loved daddy she moved to his house." She explained, looking up at him through her puppy dog eyes.

"Well, baby girl," Kneeling down in front of her, Greg reached for her small sticky hands, holding them in his own as he looked her in the eye. "That was different because your mommy and daddy had babies when they loved each other. They didn't have a choice because they didn't want to separate the three of you."

"They don't love each other anymore."

"I know sweetie." He smiled softly, brushing a loose tendril of her blonde hair back behind her ear. "Sometimes people just stop loving each other. Your daddy was still a kid himself when you were born, but he knew he loved you and your sisters. Daddies think they have more of a choice to leave because mommies are the ones who look after the babies. But that doesn't mean your daddy doesn't love you just because he stopped loving your mommy." He assured her.

"Do you love Nicky?"

Greg nodded slightly to her. "But that doesn't mean I'll stop loving you. And I'm not going anywhere. Nicky's just my new boyfriend. I'm not leaving you for him." He gave her a reassuring smile then opened his arms as Gracey took a step closer, throwing her arms around his neck to clutch him tightly.

Greg gently smoothed one palm up and down the small child's back, noticing him mother stood in the gap of the doorway, giving her son a wide smile of approval.

"Gracey, c'mere sweetheart," Jean called from the doorway, smiling as the little girl released her grip on her uncle then slowly turned back for the door. "Good girl. Greg has to finish getting ready for his date." Jean explained to her as she led her away from Greg's room, giving him some privacy to finish getting ready.

Greg checked over his outfit and hair a dozen more times before he finally head off towards the door, grabbing his phone and keys off the side table. "Bye!" He called out to the ladies of his household, hearing them all wishing him luck from the other room.

* * *

Leading the two men off towards their table, the young brunette waitress Mina smiled as she turned to face them. "Here's your table." She indicated towards the table by the window overlooking the Bellagio fountains and the lights of the Las Vegas at night. She waited for them both to take a seat then handed them each a menu. "There's a list of our appetizers down the side. Can I get you anything to drink?"

Nick looked at Greg then towards their waitress. "What's your best martini?"

"Well, we do all sorts from the cosmopolitan, bikini martini, but my personal fav is the blackjack martini, three glasses and I'm out." She giggled, noticing the Texan was blushing as he looked towards the younger man that she presumed was his boyfriend from the way he kept lovingly gazing into his eyes.

"Okay, two of those." He smiled at her then watched her walking away before he turned back to Greg who was watching the Bellagio fountain show below that he had only ever seen in passing. He had never once stopped to enjoy it before. "Hey G, you okay there bud? You've been real quiet since I picked you up."

"I'm fine." He assured him, resting on his elbow on the table. "Just Gracey asked me if people can stop loving each other, does that mean if I'm... you know with you, would I stop loving her. She's had so many people walk out on her and she's only four. Her father left her because he couldn't stand Lita. My aunt and uncle left her because of a little disagreement over rent, now she thinks I'm gonna leave her too."

"Well, what did you say to her?"

"I don't know. A whole bunch of stuff. I think I was channelling my mother from when I used to ask her if my dad loved us because he was never around." Greg explained then dropped his head into his hands. "Sorry, I just totally ruined our first dinner out didn't I?"

"Nope." Nick assured him, bravely reaching for one of Greg's hands across the table. "This is what I want from us. I want us to talk about what's on our minds and not worry about the so called laws of datin'. You've been comfortin' me since I got out."

"You make it sound as though you got out of prison." He smirked.

"Technically it was." Nick pointed out to him. "But it was more of an eye opener. Now I see the world in this whole new perspective. You're allowed to have your emotional days G; god knows I've had more than my fair share. Let's not forget the screamin' in my sleep."

"You're allowed to, _you_ have a reason." Greg smiled softly as he brushed his thumb across the back of Nick's hand. "I just have serious daddy issues. Every time any one of the triplets look to me as their father, I feel as though _I_ have to be there for them. I always think that I never got to do any of that stuff with my own father because he was always working, so somehow _I_ have to make up for it to them as they're never exactly gonna have a strong father figure either. And I realise how ridiculous that sounds, but that's how I feel." He sighed as he blurted his problems out to his boyfriend. "See, I'm so screwed up."

"Greg, it wasn't your fault that your father was workin' all the time, and it's not your responsibility to become a father figure to your cousin's kids." Nick assured him, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. "It's okay for you to be there for them, but you don't have to feel like you owe them a father figure. That's Lita's responsibility. You've done more than enough. You took them all in, gave them food and shelter, and now you're so worried about the role models in their life's that you're torturin' yourself over it. If only fathers were really like you." He smiled at him as Greg looked up into his eyes. "Granted, I've only had one father. But mine never even did half the stuff you do for those triplets. When my mother couldn't handle somethin' she just pawned me off on one of my sisters as she knew he would never do anythin'."

"Just as long as you don't think that that's what made you gay, I'll agree with it." Greg half smiled back. Noticing Nick's confused expression, Greg explained further, "Oh, when I first figured out I liked boys; I had this friend at school that I told because I trusted her, and she said it was probably because I never had a relationship with my father, but it's not true because it was always in my DNA since birth, same with you. Your way of life doesn't determine your sexuality, that's something you're born with, like your eye colour."

"But you can change your eye colour." Nick added. "Yeah, I've done some light readin' on homosexuality. Not that I didn't trust your word, I just had to find out for myself."

"I thought you might." Smiling back at Nick, Greg fell a little deeper in love with him as he gazed into his eyes.

Nick seemed much calmer and happier then he was when they first entered the restaurant. Walking in through the front doors he felt as though everyone was staring at them and pointing them out as the gay couple of sinners in the room, but he soon realised no one was looking as they were too wrapped up in their own dates to even care.

Greg hoped that he would be this relaxed on their vacation to Hawaii together. But as soon as the waitress came back with their drinks, Nick moved his hand back so fast he almost took the table cloth with him; Greg realised he still had a long way to go before he was accepting himself and not caring about what other people around him would think.

After their romantic dinner overlooking the midnight sky of Las Vegas that neither one of them had taken their time to enjoy all those nights they worked, Nick drove Greg off back to his apartment, walking him up to the front door.

"Thank you, for dinner." Greg nervously smiled as he stuffed his hands into his pockets to keep himself from touching his romantic boyfriend. "I'd let you up but my mom's probably still awake."

"Oh." Nick smiled back at him as he was always thinking of him and he really didn't want to see Greg's mother again. "Well thank you for suggestin' we go _out_ for a date." Taking a step closer towards Greg, Nick bravely placed his hands on the younger mans hips, leaning towards Greg's mouth with his own.

Nick's arm slid round to the small of the younger mans back, pulling him closer against him so that he could feel his fluttering pulse echoing through his entire body. With their bodies so close together, Greg could feel Nick's pounding heartbeat against his chest. His lips were soft and warm against his own, pulling him deeper into the seductive doorstep kiss between two lovers.

As they separated, their moist soft lips gently brushed against one another as they opened their eyes, staring deep into one another's souls. Nick smiled softly as all his previous fears of kissing Greg out in public had been forgotten. Looking deep into the younger mans eyes, he felt as though it was just the two of them together and everything was fine.

Sliding one hand to Greg's neck, Nick could feel one of the scars from the explosion against his fingertips. He gently moved his hand to cup Greg's chin in his palm, pressing his lips against Greg's one more time before he attempted to leave, but his body wouldn't allow him to.

"Are you okay?" Greg whispered him.

Nick broke into a wider grin as he pulled back from the delicate kiss, gazing lovingly into Greg's deep brown eyes. "Yeah, I just can't believe I just kissed my boyfriend on his doorstep or that I even have a boyfriend." He chuckled, entwining his hands with Greg's as the younger man removed them from his pockets.

"Neither can I." Greg agreed, unable to hold onto the giggle of excitement that managed to escape his lips. "This is my first _real_ doorstep kiss as well. I'm glad it's you though."

"Well you're my... first everythin'." Nick admitted.

"I've never been anyone's first." Moving one of his hands up to cup Nick's flushing cheek in his palm; Greg brought their lips together for another slow sensual kiss that tasted of the mint chocolate cheese cake they had shared after dinner.

"Are you sure you don't wonna come over mine?" Nick asked him, not wanting to part with him just yet.

"I'm sorry. I can't. I promised Gracey I'd be back." Greg felt guilty for leaving the man prone to nightmares alone to have to tuck himself into bed, but he knew Nick understood. "We're on vacation as of next week though," He smiled in excitement. "We'll be completely alone then."

"Can't wait." The hungry Texan purred, pulling Greg's body closer against him as he snatched one last kiss from his new boyfriend's lips. Nick slowly released his grip on Greg's hand then head off down the street to where he had parked his truck, waving to the younger man as he slowly disappeared into his apartment building, day dreaming of their next kiss already.

* * *

**I decided to combine cuteness, humour and a little bit of passion for this next chapter. Did you like it? I hope you did :D Thanks so much for reading, don't forget to leave a review if you enjoyed it!**

**~ Holly**


	13. Chapter 12: Lesson's from our Elders

**Chapter Twelve: Lessons from our Elders**

Entering his apartment after a long day at the lab, Greg gave out a heavy sigh as he dumped his keys onto the side table, hearing laughter coming from the next room. As he listened more carefully, Greg recognised the laughter as his mothers and Nick's. Hurrying into the next room, Greg widened his eyes as he saw his boyfriend sat down at the dinner table with his mother and cousin Lita. "Honey, you're home!" Jean shouted from the other end of the table, giggling as she looked towards Nick beside her, gently elbowing him. "Sorry Nicky, isn't that supposed to be your line?" She chortled to him.

"Mom, what are you doing?" Greg asked as he made his way into the room, wondering which part of the 'never talk to my boyfriend' rule she didn't understand.

"Nicky stopped by to return your jacket. He thought you might have needed it for your shift, but you had already left and the triplets insisted that he stuck around to play computers games with him, so I had to offer him dinner just to be polite." She simply explained, pulling out the seat the other side of her as she set down an empty plate for him to join them. "What are you doing home so early anyway?"

"I went in early." Greg reminded her, dropping into the empty seat opposite Nick. "Half of swing shift are out on maternity leave, so Sara and I had to take different shifts since Ecklie won't spare any of his _precious_ CSI's."

"Half?" Lita inquired.

"Well technically it's one third." Nick corrected him. "Swing shift only has three CSI's at the moment due to the cut backs. Duncan is in the hospital after he got shot in the foot and Michelle is out on maternity leave." He explained for his boyfriend.

"Why are you covering swing shift if you work in the lab?" Jean asked her son as she set down a plate of Shepherd's pie in front of him.

"Um..." Greg nervously bit his lower lip as he tried to think up an excuse. "Well, maybe because..." Greg looked up at Nick, seeing the look in his eyes to convince him to tell his mother the truth. "Well Mom... it's because I don't work in the lab anymore," He explained, looking down at his hands in his lap a moment. "Mom, I took the field test for the field CSI position . . . and I passed . . . back in January."

Jean's jaw dropped as she looked across the table at her son. "January?" She exclaimed shocked. "It's nearly the end of November!" She suddenly shrieked, making Nick beside her wince from the high pitched sound. "How could you lie to me about something for this long Gregory Hojem Sanders?"

"Well I didn't tell you I was gay until _after_ you walked in on me." He pointed out to her. "I started dating guys when I was fourteen."

Jean's jaw dropped again. "Four years? You told me that he was the first one."

"Well..." Greg realised he hadn't made the situation any better for himself. "That's not the point. You knew I wanted the field CSI position. You shoulda known that simply forbidding me to take it wouldn't have stopped me."

"But why didn't you tell me?" She shrieked.

"Because you made it pretty clear that you didn't want me to do it. So I figured telling you about it wasn't the best thing to do." He explained, leaning back in his seat as he looked into her eyes. "Dad knows." He added so she wouldn't kill him at the table. "So does Papa Olaf."

"They do?" Jean widened her eyes even more, feeling betrayed by her own father, husband and son. "I can't believe you, you little monster!" Loudly scraping back her chair, Jean gave her son one last look before she climbed to her feet, giving Nick an apologetic look, "I'm sorry Nicky. It was very nice to meet you. I hope to see you again soon. Lita, I'll be round in the morning for the girls." Jean glanced at her son one last time before she slipped out of the room. Grabbing her purse and jacket from the front door, Jean gave out a heavy sigh then made her way out of her son's apartment to head back home for the night and demand to know why her own husband lied to her before she spoke to her father.

"I told you that you shoulda told her sooner." Lita smirked in her cousin's direction.

"Ex-cuse me miss teen pregnancy, but who was the one to tell her parents that she was pregnant at four months?" Greg reminded her.

Lita gave out a heavy sigh then scraped back her own chair, climbing to her feet. "Nice to meet you Nick. Hope to see you again soon." Lita smiled in his direction then head off down the hall to check on her children.

Greg gave out his own heavy sigh, dropping his head into his hands as he looked across the table at Nick in front of him. "Want me to say something to you so you can make a huffy exit too?" He queried, looking into Nick's eyes.

"No, I'm good here." Nick gave him a soft smile. "Did you have a bad day at work?"

"No, just the usual." Greg hopped over one chair to his mother's seat, moving her half finished plate out of the way so he could move his own dinner over to sit next to his boyfriend. "Oh and Griss' back, so you won't get put down by Ecklie again."

"That's good." Resting on his elbow on the table, Nick became fascinated in the way Greg chewed his food. "Aren't you worried about your mom G?"

"Nope, she'll go home to talk to my dad then she'll come back here and apologise for her outburst, saying she still loves me and she supports my decision, she just wishes I had told her sooner." He spoke from past experiences then took another mouthful of his dinner. "The best thing about my mom is that she can never stay mad at me for more than eight hours at a time. It drives her completely insane." Greg finished his last mouthful then started clearing away the plates, stopping Nick from standing up to help him. "I'm just gonna put em in the dishwasher."

"Well let me help you." Climbing to his feet, Nick helped Greg carry some of the plates off to the kitchen, helping Greg to load the dishwasher. Unlike Nick, Greg had no system to his dishwasher. The plates just went wherever and the cutlery went in any slot that wasn't full up.

"See, I told you my mother would take it badly." Greg pointed out to him.

"Yeah, but its better that she knows. You can't keep somethin' this big from her. What if you got hurt out in the field?" Nick asked as he helped Greg clear the rest of the table then returned to the kitchen to help him wash up. "Would you rather explain to her that you work out in the field when you're in hospital with a gunshot wound?"

"No. Just don't tell that part to my mom." Greg warned him while he ran the tap to warm the water up. Greg gave Nick a wide grin as he reached for the towel, drying up everything he washed. "You really don't have to do that Nicky."

"If you were a girl, I'd agree with you. But we're men; I can help you and not feel as though I'm steppin' on yah toes." He smirked, laughing as Greg gave him a funny look. "What? You're the one who said I was the traditional guy."

"I said traditional _romantic_." Greg corrected him, handing Nick another saucepan. "As in the traditional dating sense. You're always punctual and look your best, although... I don't think you could ever look bad." He grinned round at him as he took a glance at the navy blue material of his shirt stretched across his broad chest. "You go out of your way to compliment me on dates and you always plan ahead for our dates, and they're always perfect because you have the need to control everything about them. Oh and the biggy, you're always a perfect gentleman, like the holding doors open for me, car doors... offering to help wash up." He smirked.

"Is that a good thing?" He asked as he leant his back against the counter beside Greg. "Do you like my gentleman, controllin' ways?"

"Like em? I love em." Greg assured him through a wide smile. "And the whole sex thing really doesn't bother me. People who have sex too quick in a relationship are telling one another that they're more interested in their physical characteristics rather than finding out who they really are as a person." Greg explained to him, smiling as he reached for the towel to dry his hands.

"Like findin' out you're a messy eater?" Nick indicated towards the sauce dribbled down his t-shirt. "You're supposed to eat it, not wear it G." He chuckled softly as he gently tugged Greg closer to wipe his t-shirt down for him. "So eh... you wonna come over mine?" He suggested as he dropped the towel back onto the counter behind him.

"You have work in an hour." Greg reminded him, turning Nick's wrist to show him the time on his watch. "Forty eight minutes actually, what did you have in mind?" He queried, tilting his head to the side as he looked into Nick's eyes. When Nick nervously looked down at his hands on his sides, Greg took a step closer towards him, gently lifting his hands from his hips into his own. "Did you maybe wonna spend some time with me?"

"I guess." Entwining his fingers with Greg's at their sides, Nick smiled as he looked into the younger mans hungry eyes. "You did install that lock on your door, right?"

"Did it yesterday." Greg nodded then slowly took a few steps backwards, tugging Nick along with him towards his bedroom down the hall. Nick relished the intimacy between the two of them, feeling both nervous and excited as he was led off into his boyfriend's bedroom for the first time.

Greg slid the lock into place then watched Nick's eyes as he scanned across his bedroom. "Not what you expected?" He queried, tossing the clothes off the bed onto the dresser in the corner then attempted to straighten the covers on the bed. "Sorry, I haven't exactly been in here lately to straighten up."

"I like it, it's all you." Nick steadied his nervous breathing then dropped onto the edge of Greg's bed, looking over at the wardrobe that was left open with all of the younger mans bright and colourful clothes brightening up the bland room. "So, now that you've got me in your bedroom Greg," Nick attempted to be brave in front of him, "What did you wonna do?"

"Well," The nervous young man stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets, giving Nick a nervous smile. "No one can get in, but the walls in this place are paper thin." He nervously rambled.

Nick threw his head back in laughter, glad Greg was nervous about something between them too. "Really Greg, you think I wonna strip you of all your clothes and take you here?" He smirked up at him then gently tugged him down onto the bed to sit him down beside him. "G, when we do finally... you know. I want it to be special. I've imagined it more than a thousand times, so it's gotta be special." He smiled through his nervousness. "You don't have to be worried about me... wantin' to jump you or anythin' like that, because I'm a traditional romantic after all."

"An adorably passionate sentimental romantic." Greg corrected him, giving him a wide grin as Nick looked round at him.

"Thanks G." Nick smiled back at him then dropped to his back on the bed, gently tugging Greg down beside him. "I can cross this one of my list."

"What one?" Greg queried.

"See the inside of your bedroom." He smirked, turning his head to look the patient lover beside him in the eye. "I never saw it when we were just friends. I always wanted to know what the inside of your bedroom looked like since you always kept your porn and music in the lab."

"Well I can't keep pawn in here anymore since the little ladies came into my life. This is the only room in my apartment that my mother isn't allowed to clean. And it's the only rule she ever obeys too." He smirked, rolling onto his side to look Nick in the eye. "Is there anything else on that list regarding my bedroom?" He cheekily grinned, licking his lower lip in Nick's direction.

"Well, I would like to kiss you." Moving his body closer against Greg's, Nick brushed his thumb across Greg's lower lip as he looked deep into his eyes. "You've filled this huge void in my life G. My life really is better with you." Nick moved his hand to the back of Greg's neck, bringing their lips together for a delicate velvety soft kiss.

Closing his eyes as Nick slowly deepened his kiss, Greg allowed Nick to pull his body closer against him, gently caressing his tongue with his own. "Mmmm," Greg purred as Nick pulled back for a gasp of breath, savouring the taste of Nick's scent in his mouth. "I love it when you kiss me like that."

Nick smiled against his parted lips as he slid his other hand beneath the back of Greg's t-shirt. "Well I _love_ kissin' you like that, so it works out nicely." He chuckled softly, gently nipping at the soft lips poised in front of him. "You know I used to watch your mouth while you spoke. You know how I always asked you loads and loads of questions about my results you had just given me?" Greg gave him a slight nod. "It's because I wanted to watch your mouth movin'. I love that cute little half smile you always give me too."

"Aww, my Nicky's in love." He giggled, gently smoothing his fingers through Nick's soft hair. "Well I teased and joked around with you more than the others because I love your smile too Tex." He admitted, gently brushing a fingertip across the creases just below Nick's boyishly thick eyebrows then gently feathered it down his soft features to follow the gorgeous curves around his mouth as Nick gave him one of his wide welcoming smiles. "See, that's my reward."

"You know you're the only guy I've ever met that I actually think is cute." Touching his lips to Greg's again, Nick beamed another wide smile at him as he bravely slid his hand towards Greg's hip, moving his thigh between the younger mans legs.

Capturing Greg's lips between his own, Nick could feel Greg's body quivering as he slid his thigh higher between his legs, pressing gently against his crotch. Nick smiled as Greg moaned into his mouth, secretly thanking the girl that had done that to him in college. Nick remembered how stimulating it was when she did it to him, so he tried the same technique she had on his own boyfriend. He thought it was a little weird that he learned his move from a girl, but his reward outweighed the awkwardness by a long shot.

"Shit, I gotta go G." He announced as he spotted the time on his watch. "I don't wonna be late for work."

"So go, I'm not stopping you." Greg smiled as he removed his fingers from Nick's hair, giggling softly as Nick was the one to lean forwards and initiate a series of tender kisses to his lips, reluctantly pulling back as he realised he was getting too worked up and he really was going to be late for his shift.

"I'll call you later, or you call me." Nick tried his best not to sound too pathetic as he climbed off Greg's bed, flattening his hair with his shaky hands as he looked at his appearance in the mirror across the room. His hair wasn't the only thing that was different to him though. He could barely recognise his reflection in the mirror. He was no longer the suppressed good ole boy from Texas, he had just made out with his boyfriend and he didn't feel guilty about it one bit.

"Bye Nicky." Greg smiled as he sat up straight. "Don't work too hard."

"I won't." Nick assured him, licking the delicious Greg Sanders scent from his lips. "Sweet dreams G. And make it up with your mother; you don't know how lucky you are to have a mother like her." Leaning down to Greg's level, Nick pressed his lips to Greg's for a brief moment to give him a good night kiss. He then slowly turned for the door, reluctantly leaving to head into work when really he'd rather be curling up into bed with Greg at his side.

* * *

"Nicky, I want you to go down to autopsy!" Grissom shouted to Nick as soon as he entered the hall of the lab floor from the elevator. Nick watched Grissom quickly entering his office with Ecklie and the undersheriff behind him, closing the door once they were all inside.

"Nice to see you too." Nick muttered under his breath as he took a step back towards the elevator, taking it down to the autopsy room where he could hear country music blaring through the halls. Entering the icy cold autopsy room, Nick spotted Doctor Robbins leant over a body, inspecting the bullet wound to the females head. "Hey Doc." He called over to him as he grabbed one of the lab coats and some gloves so he wouldn't contaminate any evidence.

"Hey Nick." Turning his music off, Doc Robbins readjusted the glasses on his nose as he tweezed something from the victims wound. "You here for Grissom's case?" Nick nodded as he stepped up beside the cooling table. "Well, there's no mystery here." He indicated towards the bullet wound to her head. "Penetrating gunshot wound to the right temple killed our virgin Mary. I sent the bullet to ballistics a few minutes ago."

Nick gave him a quizzical look before he asked, "Virgin Mary?"

"Yeah, didn't Grissom tell you? They found her with a baby in her house." Doc Robbins explained to him. The confused expression on Nick's face gave him his answer though. "Hymen's intact which means she's never had intercourse, but she did give birth." The Doc removed the sheet covering her chest, showing Nick her caesarean scar.

"So, other than divine intervention, how do you explain this miraculous conception?"

"Well, the most obvious explanation would be frottage." He answered, watching Nick giving him a slight frown.

"You mean dry humpin'?"

Doc Robbins grinned widely, shaking his head slightly at the young CSI. "In sex Ed Nick, they teach that rubbing body parts is safe, but since the hymens not a barrier to semen, there's still a risk of pregnancy. Not to mention STD's." He added. "It's all about gravity Nick. You might wonna think about that the next time you..."

"Okay, sex lesson over." He held his hands up to stop him. "Thanks Doctor Ruth." He smirked before he head off out the room, shivering the disturbing sex talk from both Greg's mother earlier and now from the old guy in the autopsy room. Did they really think he was _that_ clueless? He was thirty four years old; he had been having sex since he was seventeen, just not with the gender that was right for him.

"Hey Nicky." Catherine called him over, waving him over to where she was stood. "We're just heading over to the trace lab, you wonna come with?" Nick gave her a slight nod as he joined her in the hall. "What'd you get from autopsy?"

"Um... oh the bullets been sent to ballistics, and apparently our vic's a virgin but she did give birth." He reported, walking with her into the trace lab where Warrick was stood talking about something with Hodges.

"Nick, how you doing?" Hodges immediately asked as he entered the room, not catching onto Warrick's cut throat signal to stop him before he asked the question that annoyed Nick the most.

"Above ground." The Texan repeated his answer he had been giving everyone except Greg.

Hodges gave him a half smile then handed his findings over to Catherine. "Your black and white particles were composed of plagioclase, biotite, hornblende and pyroxene." He reported, looking at Warrick and Nick's expression as they both tried to think what that was.

"Diorite granite." Catherine answered, giving them both a superior grin as she got it first.

"You remember your geology." Hodges smiled proudly in her direction then directed a smug grin towards the jocks. "That's one for the ex-cheerleader, nil for the jocks."

"Actually, I was never a cheerleader, and senior year I took 'rocks for jocks'." Catherine reported, smiling towards Nick and Warrick as they gave her a quizzical look. "I dated the TA. He bought me flowers before every game."

"Lucky guy." Hodges enviously answered, wishing he had spent more time with the ladies when he was in school.

"And I'm sure you got an A." Warrick presumed.

Curving her lips into a naughty smile, Catherine brushed back her hair before she answered, "As a matter of fact, I did. But that was because I studied hard, not because I was dating the TA. That was just one of the perks." She assured him. "Our relationship was strictly professional."

"Mm-hmm." He smirked, not believing that for a second.

"You're a married man." Hodges reminded him. "Don't flirt." Warrick dropped his jaw and rolled his eyes at the lab tech that freely flirted with the girl next door in front of everyone, not to mention the ass kissing to Ecklie whenever he got the chance. "Anyway, diorite granite is used in high end bathroom vanities. Was there any recent construction at the house?"

"Nah," Warrick shook his head as he took the results from Catherine to take a look for himself. "I processed the bathroom and the countertops for some kind of plastic laminate."

Hodges reached for a piece of paper of the printer, handing it over to Warrick, "I made a few calls, there's only one slab yard in Clark County that works with diorite."

"Nicky, you coming?" Catherine queried, noticing how quiet he was lately. "You can drive if you want." Warrick frowned at her as he wanted to drive.

"No I'm good, I'm gonna run by ballistics." Nick snapped the gloves off he realised he was still wearing, heading off down the hall towards Bobby Dawson's lab.

"I'm worried about him." Catherine whispered to Warrick as they both head off towards the locker room to get ready for the field. "Do you think he's okay?"

Grabbing his vest from his locker, Warrick gave her a nod, "Yeah, he just needs people to stop dogging him. You shoulda seen him out in Lincoln; I've never seen him so focused."

"Sara said he went off the deep end."

"So what, he got rough with one of the suspects. We all lose it at one time or another, people are only psycho analysing him because he was recently buried alive." He defended his friends honour to her then grabbed his kit, checking it was all fully stocked. "Nick's still Nick. He's just going through some stuff, but he's not some nervous little kitten who's gonna break any second like everyone thinks. You just have to act normal around him."

"Like you, you mean?" She scowled, zipping her jacket up to her chin as it was pouring down with rain outside. "You barely say two words to him anymore. At least I'm _trying_ to get through to him." Grabbing her kit off the bench, Catherine walked off out the locker room, leaving Warrick to think about what she had said for a moment.

"Hey Cath." He called out to her as he caught up at the elevators. "See, the thing is... I don't know what to say to him. Sara tried when we were all out, and he practically bit her head off. Greg seems to be the only one who can get through to him at the moment."

"Ah." Catherine's lips spread into a slight smile.

"I knew it." Warrick chuckled, joining her by one of the labs Denali's in the basement parking lot. "You know don't you?"

"Of course I know, how do you know?"

"Because Nick told me." Warrick gave out a heavy sigh, shaking his head as he unlocked the Denali. "Shoulda known that they wouldn't have been able to keep it a secret for long, they are working with a bunch of CSI's that are trained to notice these things after all. That's why you guys noticed my wedding ring the first day I was wearing it."

Catherine rolled her eyes as she climbed into the passenger seat; not wanting to talk about his marriage that she was pretending wasn't real as she hadn't yet met his wife, and she wasn't planning on doing it any time soon either.

* * *

Knocking harder on the door this time, Greg leant against the frame as he waited for his stubborn mother to open the door. "Mom! Please, it's raining out here. I could catch a cold!" He shouted then heard the lock of the door sliding open. Taking a step back into the pouring rain, Greg watched as his father pulled the door open, giving his son a look before he smiled and let him in. "How mad is she?" He immediately asked his father.

"She's on her fourth glass of wine." Taking his sons dripping wet coat for him, Daniel Sanders hung it over one of the pegs by the radiator then closed the front door. "You need a towel?" He smirked as the water was just pouring from him onto the doormat.

"Could do." Greg shivered, glad his father finally decided to let him in before he really did freeze to death out there.

Daniel fetched his son a towel to dry himself off them handed him one of his sweatshirts to keep him warm. Greg gratefully took the warm sweatshirt, removing his dripping wet hoody and t-shirt so his father's sweatshirt would warm him up quicker. Daniel still cringed at the sight of the scars covering his sons back. Every time he saw them he remembered the pain his child had endured, wishing he could have taken the pain for him so that he wouldn't have had to suffer.

"She's through there." Daniel pointed off towards the den as he took his sons wet clothing for him. He watched Greg removing his sneakers before he head off into the den where his mother was sat on the sofa with a glass of wine in her hands.

"Mom, you know you love me really." He spoke in his sweetest voice as he slowly entered the room. "I didn't mean to upset you. You know when I want stuff I go for it. You shoulda known that I'd go for this no matter what you said."

"I would have supported you if you told me." She scowled up at him. "I didn't want you to go for it because it's dangerous."

"I was blown up in the lab." He pointed out to her.

"You were always telling me how Catherine got attacked at a crime scene. Nick was almost shot. Your supervisor was strangled..."

"That was in an interrogation room." Greg reminded her. "Mom, I'm careful. I always am. The team looks out for me. We have police officers with us all the time. Since Nick's abduction they've reinforced that rule so it doesn't happen again." He tried to assure her. "Warrick's been a CSI for years and he's never had to pull his gun on anyone. He's never been shot at either. Sara was only injured once in that lab explosion. Nick's... not a very good example, but not everyone gets hurt. I wanted to do the job to help people."

"But you never see the danger Gregory!" She snapped at him. "Nick has older sisters and a brother to keep his parents company if anything were to ever happen. Your boss Grissom doesn't have anyone. Sara doesn't have parents, and this Warrick doesn't have anyone either. You have a mother and father that care about you more than their own lives." She explained to him, trying not to shout as she didn't want to lose him. "My life isn't worth living if I don't have you honey."

"What about dad?"

Jean gave out a soft sigh. "Of course I love your father, and he'd be broken if anything were to ever happen to you too. You're the only person that can make him cry, you know that? Daniel's not a crier." She informed him. "He cried when you were born. He cried when you said your first word or even started to walk. When you broke your arm when you were little, he was a nervous wreck. The lab explosion was his own personal nightmare. He's never cried before; you bring that out in him. We both love you more than anything in the world, but you act as though you don't care." Jean complained as she ran a hand through her honey brown hair. "You took up a job in a lab so we assumed you'd be safe, but then we get a phone call saying you were in an explosion with third degree burns covering your back. Now you've taken up a job where people get kidnapped and buried alive. How could you?"

"Not everyone's kidnapped and buried alive." He defended himself. "That was just a onetime thing. I didn't want the job for the danger; I wanted the job so I could actually be involved in solving these people's murders." Greg desperately tried to think of a way how he could explain the thrill of working the job to his mother. "I'm not a kid anymore. I have a job that just happens to be a little bit dangerous. I have a boyfriend that could leave me for fear of being gay before we even get started, but I don't care. I'm living my life and I'm happy. Don't you care about that?"

"Of course I care. Just, why this job?"

"Nick, Warrick, Sara, Catherine and Grissom all got to be a part of these people's lives. I sat in a lab all day only knowing them by their DNA. I never saw their faces or knew how they lived. I knew them as a DNA sample. Sure my work was important to the case, but it didn't feel important enough to me. I wasn't physically doing enough to bring them justice. I was just the DNA lab dork. Now my job actually counts for something."

Sighing heavily in defeat as she saw the spark in Greg's eyes that was always there whenever he was talking about something he loved. She remembered it was there when he was six and discovered dinosaurs. She remembered the enthusiasm in his voice when he was seven and wanted to be a scientist or when he had discovered chess or his Papa Olaf's coin collection. She had made a promise to her baby boy on the eve of his birth that she would never crush his hopes and dreams, and she'd always be there to support him no matter what, so she reluctantly gave in, giving up the battle of trying to keep him safe.

"Okay honey, but now I'm going to have to insist that I get two phone calls a day." She warned him. "One before you head into work then one right after, just so I know that you're safe."

"Done." He beamed a wide smile at her.

"Now take those trousers off. You're dripping on my carpet!" She snapped as she climbed to her feet. "Your father probably has a pair you can borrow while I get these dry for you. Oh Gregory! You trudged your wet socks through here." She started complaining as she saw the damp patches on her carpet. "I've told you a hundred times not to walk on this carpet with wet or muddy feet. This is pure white! The dirt just doesn't come out!"

Greg couldn't help but laugh as he was so happy to have his mother talking to him again, even if she was moaning. She was the only mother he was ever going to get, and she was the best one in the world.

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed that chapter and had a nice holiday! Don't forget to review!**


	14. Chapter 13: Exhilirating Heat

**Rating M – major slash**

**Chapter Thirteen: Exhilarating Heat**

Wandering off through the lab hallway at the end of his shift, Nick brushed a hand through his hair as he head off towards the elevator, stopping as he passed by the locker room when something caught his eye. Taking a step back towards the locker room door, Nick tilted his head to the side as he looked in on his boyfriend sat on the bench, changing his muddy work boots for some comfortable sneakers.

As the younger man climbed to his feet to grab his jacket from the top of his locker, Nick startled him by turning him in his arms and gently pushing his body up against the lockers behind him. "Nicky, what are you..." Greg's words were immediately cut off by Nick's warm mouth covering his own. Greg moaned into the older man's mouth as he pushed him up against the cold ridged lockers even more while his mouth was being plundered into by Nick's ravenous tongue.

Nick abruptly ended the kiss, slowly sliding his hands down towards the younger mans hips as he attempted to apologise for something he had been craving to do all day. "Sorry." He breathed across his lips. "Sometimes I just can't help myself."

Greg beamed a wide smile at his adorable boyfriend as he brushed his fingertips across his handsome jaw line. "You should never be sorry for giving me the most amazing kiss of my life, everyday." The younger man chuckled, resting his forehead against Nick's as he felt the Texan's heart pounding against his chest. "Did you just get off shift? I haven't seen you all day."

"Yeah, I was workin' with Catherine out in the field." He answered, still holding Greg up against the lockers. "You just get back from the field?"

"Yep, Sara and I were dumpster diving for gun pieces. Our suspect decided to dismantle their revolver before they tossed it, so we had to find every last piece." He explained then smiled as Nick gently tugged on his bottom lip, pulling him into another kiss.

"I'm not hurtin' you am I?" He suddenly asked as he realised that he had completely pinned Greg between him and the lockers.

"No, I'm a guy, not some weak little stick model that you're used to dating." Greg assured him through a soft smile as Nick was always constantly concerned about him. "I love your possessive kisses. You don't have to worry about breaking me if you put a little muscle behind yah kiss either." He assured him.

"Okay, just checkin'." Sliding his hands towards Greg's wrists, Nick circled his fingers around Greg's wrists with a firm grip, pinning the younger mans hands against the locker either side of him. "You've never been to Lady Heathers have you?" He suddenly asked.

"Nope." The ex-lab rat shook his head. "I believe that was your domain."

"P-lease, I'm not into that crap." Nick rolled his eyes then gently touched his lips to Greg's. "I believe that love should be about intimacy and romance, not tyin' each other up and hittin' em with sticks."

Greg smiled in awe at his adorable romantic, unable to believe that he wouldn't like it just a little bit as he had completely restrained him against a locker just to kiss him.

"Hey, you off shift?"

"Yeah." Greg nodded his head, feeling the circulation returning to his hands as Nick finally relinquished his grip on his wrists. "I would ask you out to breakfast, but I really gotta go home and shower."

"You can use mine." Nick suggested, leaning his body further into Greg's, making him irresistible to turn down. "We can pick up somethin' for breakfast from I-HOP on the way back."

"Oh, you know exactly how to push my buttons, doncha?" Greg grinned widely.

Exploding into a wide smile of his own, Nick leant towards the luscious lips poised in front of him, tangling their tongues together inside their warm, wet mouths. Greg closed his eyes as Nick's firm body leant closer into him, pinning him further against the locker.

"Ahem!" A female's voice cut through the silence of the locker room, immediately bringing their lips apart so they could turn their heads in her direction. "Little more discreet guys." Catherine suggested as she pulled the locker room door shut, chuckling softly to herself from sizzling hot position she had just caught the two of them in, fuelling her fantasies for tonight.

"Shit." Nick immediately cursed.

"Relax Nicky; next time we'll lock the door." Giving Nick a gentle push so he had room to breathe, Greg gently lifted Nick's hands into his own at his sides. "If it's any conciliation she already knew about us and she didn't tell anybody." Nick looked at him wide eyed. "C'mon Nicky, we work with CSI's. You told Warrick. Sara figured it out while we were out in Lincoln and Catherine... well she figured it out after you got out of the hospital."

"And you didn't tell me?"

"I forgot... that she knew." Greg simply explained, glad Nick wasn't running from the room to get out of this uncomfortable situation. "She didn't tell anyone, and she doesn't care. Don't worry your pretty little head Nicky, nothing bads gonna happen." He assured him, wrapping his arms around his waist.

"Yeah, but she saw us kiss."

Greg raised one of his eyebrows. "Is that really such a bad thing? You're a CSI. You saw her reaction, was she disgusted?" Nick looked up into Greg's eyes then shook his head. "See, not so bad. Just breathe Nicky." He soothed him, still holding his body against him. "You'll soon realise that kissing a boy in front of someone isn't that scary."

"Sorry, it's my stupid... panic alarm." Nick realised how ridiculous he was for freaking out over Catherine seeing them together. She didn't look disgusted. She wasn't throwing stones and she didn't shout out any of the words he had been thinking himself every time he wanted to kiss his boyfriend.

"C'mon, what are you so worried about?" Greg asked, teasing his fingertips across Nick's stomach. "People kiss all the time."

Nick nodded in agreement, feeling a sense of calm coming over him as he felt Greg's hands on him and his warm body against him. "I don't know. I really don't know why I'm so worried. I know nothin's gonna happen. No lightnin' bolts or anythin' are gonna strike me down. I don't really care who knows. I just... I'm not... brave enough to kiss you." He finally got there as he looked deep into Greg's eyes. "And that's not just you. I never kissed girls in public either."

"That's cool, no PDA's. I'm totally onboard with that." Greg assured him.

"But that's stupid. We're goin' on vacation together. What are we supposed to do, stay five feet away from each other until we get back to the hotel room?"

Greg gave him a wide grin as he sensed the disappointment in his voice. He was glad that Nick actually wanted to be intimate with him on vacation as that was exactly what he was hoping for on this vacation for his pent up Texan to feel relaxed and comfortable around him.

"No, vacations are different. Nobody knows us in Hawaii." Greg assured him. "And you said it yourself, who cares who knows about us. Why doncha put that one on your list?" He suggested.

"The PDA's?" Nick grinned up at Greg then pulled his wallet from his back pocket, revealing the list of things he wanted to do that Greg had yet to see. "You gotta pen?"

Greg nodded then realised that he couldn't reach it with Nick's hips against him and he didn't want to make him anymore uncomfortable then he already was. "Shift yah hips." Nick looked at him confused then moved back slightly, watching Greg retrieving a pen from the front pocket of his jeans. Nick carefully leant his list against Greg's chest, adding PDA's to the bottom. "Do I ever get to see that?"

"Nope." Nick gave him a smile as he shoved it back into his wallet then stuffed it into his pocket. "It's private, and half of them are about you, so no way. That's as bad as readin' my diary."

"You have a diary?" The younger man asked surprised.

"No, _if_ I had one." Nick corrected, shoving the pen back into Greg's pocket for him then leant back against him, touching their lips together. "You still wonna go get that breakfast, or did you wonna come straight over mine to crawl under the covers with me?" He bravely suggested.

"Mmm, sounds good to me, especially the sleep snuggling part." Greg grinned as he gently pushed Nick backwards so that he could peel himself off the lockers, fully expecting the ridges of the locker door to be patterned into his back. "I've got some evidence to file away then I'm all yours." Greg assured him, pushing his locker shut.

"Okay, I'll meet you by my truck in a few minutes." Nick winked at him; gently tapping his hand to the younger mans lower back before he head off out the locker room towards the elevator.

Greg dreamily sighed after him, still not letting on how nervous he really was about going on vacation with his pent up cowboy boyfriend who acted completely mortified when Greg gave him a hard on just by sitting on him.

Greg knew that he would have to take things slow so he wouldn't risk Nick having a gay freak out in a foreign place, but he was also worrying about having to put out to his best friend who had slept with countless women and always bragged about both the good and the bad ones with Warrick after his dates.

Nick would surely expect him to put out after he splashed out on a luxury vacation for the two of them, but Greg was nervous because he was no expert in the bedroom department for he only slept with people he really liked, who were few and very far between, not to mention the fact he had never bottomed before.

* * *

Emerging from the refreshing spray of Nick's shower, Greg wrapped a warm towel around his hips then stepped up to the sink, wiping away the moisture from the bathroom mirror with one of his hands. Reaching for the spare toothbrush on the counter beside Nick's, Greg squeezed a decent amount of toothpaste onto the bristles then started to brush his teeth. Greg then reached for his razor once he was done, struggling to neatly shave his jaw line with a jittery hand.

Heading off into the bedroom once he was finished, a small smile played across his lips as he looked at Nick crashed out on the bed with a National Geographic magazine in his hands. "Hi." Nick smiled over the top of his magazine. "Whatsup?"

"Nothing, just that my boyfriend would rather read about penguins then look at me." Greg teased him.

Nick bit his lip as he ran his eyes across water droplets running down Greg's subtly toned chest. "Well I... actually, I've been fantasyin' about you all day." He bravely admitted. "You're much hotter in person though."

"Weird, it's usually the other way around." He smiled softly as he watched Nick's cheeks lightly flushing with embarrassment. "It's usually me fantasying that I have these perfect washboard abs."

"You don't need ripped muscles to make you hot." Nick assured him, reaching out for his arm to tug him closer towards him. He admired his subtly toned chest in more detail, smiling as he looked at the slight ridges of his rib cage and the curves of his shoulders, collarbone and pecks. "You're gorgeous and you know it." Nick assured him, admiring the latest object of his affection, unable to peel his eyes away from his chest. "And to tell you the truth, I don't like big bulky muscles on guys."

"Accepting your gayness for less than two months and you already have a type." Greg anxiously smiled down at Nick, noticing the look of hunger in the older man's eyes. "What are you doing?" He nervously asked, swallowing down the large lump on his throat as Nick's broad hands found their way to his hips, gently tugging him onto the bed beside him.

"Ignorin' the panic alarm in my head," He whispered, giving the younger man a wide seductive smile as Greg nervously looked into his eyes. "Besides, how can I pass you up when you're stood half naked in my bedroom?" He smirked, pulling Greg against him as he lay on his side. "You look nervous G."

"Confident cowboys make me nervous."

Nick smiled softly then gently pulled the blood soaked pieces of toilet roll from Greg's jaw line, admiring how adorable the younger man looked when he was nervous. "Relax Greg; I'm not ready for that yet." He assured him, gently teasing his fingertips across his soft freshly shaved jaw before he leant in for an affectionate kiss.

Leaning back against the bed beneath him, Greg felt completely weak under the power of Nick's manipulating kiss. Rolling his hands into fists at his sides, Greg's knuckles started to turn white as Nick's body moved closer against him, keeping their lips locked in a passionate hungry kiss.

"Mmmm, Nicky," Greg gasped across his lips, feeling his breath stuttering from his chest as the older man pulled back for breath. "You don't have to do anything if you're not comfortable." He assured him, seeing the longing look in Nick's eyes.

"I want you Greg." Moving his hips closer against Greg's, Nick slowly weaved one of his hands through Greg's wet hair, feeling Greg's heart beat fluttering against him. "If I don't make my move soon, I'm afraid I never will."

Beaming a wide smile up at Nick, Greg felt the nervous tension slowly leaving his body as Nick gently placed one hand on the smooth stomach beneath him, leaning over his warm moist body for another slow luscious kiss, leaving them both desperately hungry for more.

"So, what did you wonna do?" Greg whispered, feeling his heart skipping in excitement as Nick moved back to unbutton his shirt from his chest. "Are you sure?" He queried, keeping his hands glued to the bed so he wouldn't be tempted to touch him.

"I'm sure." Sweeping his shirt off his shoulders, Nick dropped it over the side of the bed, revealing the beautifully toned muscles of his chest. "You're gonna break your neck if you strain yourself anymore G." Nick chuckled as Greg was struggling to keep his eyes on Nick's so he wouldn't make the older man uncomfortable. "You _are_ allowed to look Greg."

"I didn't wonna make you uncomfortable."

"You'll make me more uncomfortable if you keep your neck that stiff to look in my eyes." He smirked, grinning wider as Greg slowly ran his eyes across the older man's perfectly ribbed abs. "See, that was the look I was goin' for. That gives me more confidence." Leaning closer towards Greg, Nick gently licked Greg's lower lip then slid his tongue inside his mouth, re-tasting the delicious, hidden corners of his younger soon to be lover's mouth as he pressed his chest against a man's for the first time. "Lemme know if I'm doin' this wrong." Nick whispered as he pulled back for air.

"Nope, it's perfect, you're perfect." He assured him, allowing himself to finally touch the body of his dreams.

Nick tensed slightly as Greg's soft palm slid straight down the centre of his spine. Greg was amazed that he could feel the knotted emotions in his partner's back, just by trailing his fingertips across the soft ridges of his spine as Nick's gentle tongue lightly flickered against his own.

Nick moaned softly as he pulled back, feeling as though his body was ready to explode as the younger man ground his hips against him. "Mmm, for a sin, this feels amazin'."

"MmmHmm," Greg agreed in a soft moan, "You know Nicky; this would feel even better if we were naked." Looking up into Nick's gaping eyes, Greg gave him a gentle smile as he wrapped one arm around Nick's neck, pulling him closer against him. "And no, I wasn't joking. Just thought it would be something you might wonna try, you know, like normal happy couples?"

"I want to. Trust me, I really do." Nick assured him, lifting one of his legs over Greg's so their hips were completely aligned. "Mind if I just savour the moment?" He whispered, keeping his chest firmly pressed against Greg's.

"No, I don't mind at all."

Leaning down, Nick consumed his best friend's mouth with a hungry kiss as he gently caressed his hand across the man's chest towards the rim of his towel. It not only felt perfectly natural to smooth his hand down the firm flat chest of a man, it also encouraged him to go further into pleasuring the younger man by moving his moist lips to his neck while he caressed his stomach and chest with his exploring hands.

"Do you like that? Tell me on a scale of one to ten." Nick vulnerably asked, feeling nervous about pleasuring a man for the first time.

"One being totally crap and ten being totally mind blowing?" The younger man queried, beaming a wide smile up at his boyfriend before he answered, "Twenty. Maybe even fifty when you kiss me right here." He played his fingertips across the bare nape of his neck, giggling softly as Nick leant down to hungrily consume the exposed skin in tender kisses.

"Mmmm, Nicky, that feels so good." Greg encouraged him on, moaning against his neck as one of Nick's hands slipped under the towel to caress his thigh. "How about we take these off?" Greg suggested as he tugged on the belt of Nick's jeans.

Nick pulled back from his neck for a moment's breather, moving his hands down towards his waist with Greg's so he could unbuckle his belt to release his throbbing erection from the tight fabric it was consumed in. He could easily see that Greg was hard through his towel as the fabric had tented around him.

This time it didn't bother him though, it turned him on.

Once his belt was loosened, Nick climbed off Greg to wriggle out of his jeans, discarding them to the bedroom floor. Greg remained on the bed beside him, not wanting to scare him away as his confidence was only just starting to build.

"I can't believe this is _really_ happenin'." The nervous Texan confessed while his hand found its way to Greg's chest again, bravely exploring the subtle curves of his muscles.

"Just take it slow. You're doing fine so far." Greg assured him.

"The DNA lab tech who used to whine about not gettin' dates is schoolin' me in intimacy?" The older man chuckled as he blanketed Greg's body with his own again. "I'm so glad you're my first." He rasped, leaning down to once again consume the body he had only ever pleasured in his dreams with warm kisses.

Greg was secretly hoping he would be his first and only, but it was too soon to say it out loud, so he kept quiet, struggling to hold onto his orgasm as Nick pressed an open mouthed kiss to his nipple.

The older man boldly explored his boyfriend's chest with his mouth, feeling right at home with the masculine body beneath him, loving the musky masculine scent of the younger man much more than the stench of flowers like he was used to when being intimate with another person.

"Are you ready to take this off?" Nick asked, moving his hands to the top of Greg's towel.

Greg looked at him surprised as he was the one asking that question and not him. He was so surprised that he couldn't find his voice from his partner's sudden bravery, so he just gave him a nod then lifted his hips so that Nick could remove the towel from his body. Dropping the towel over the side of the bed as if it was nothing, Nick then lifted his own hips to wriggle himself out of his own boxers, leaving them both completely naked.

Nick felt awkward for being so nervous, and he felt as though he was going to explode the second he looked into Greg's eyes, but he fought the urge to run and hide in the closet across the room, turning his body to completely align Greg's.

Nick's eyes were half open, showing their lusty deep brown centre with the flickering gold flecks of love as he looked into the depths of Greg's. The younger man smiled against his lips parted lips, feeling Nick's breathing becoming quicker as they ground their equally aroused bodies together for the first time.

The initial touch of mans hard body against him was almost too much to bear. But Nick didn't want to back out again; he pushed through his nerves, allowing Greg to pull him closer, making the touch more heavenly rather than awkward.

Shaking with both anticipation and excitement, Nick slowly leant forwards to recapture the younger mans lips, pulling him into a mouth watering kiss as he started to move his hips against Greg's with blind instinct.

At first he was nervous about what to do with his hands, just as he had been his very first time with a girl, but as Greg's hands moved to his back to pull him closer, Nick instinctively did the same to Greg's, feeling the scars on his back that he hadn't seen since they were scabbing over with crusty blood. Now, they felt like soft skin though.

He traced the lines with his fingertips, focusing on their length and the detail he could feel with his fingers rather than worrying about his fast building orgasm as Greg's hips rotated against him again.

Moving his naked body against another man's naked heated flesh was far more exhilarating then Nick ever would have imagined. It didn't feel dirty or wrong as so many people had said. It felt heavenly, right and he could feel his love for Greg growing even more.

"Hey." Brushing his fingertips through Nick's hair, Greg gave Nick a curious look as he stopped his kissing and was now just staring into his eyes with a look of a thousand emotions washing over him at once. "Are you okay?" He asked.

Nick nodded, gulping down his nerves and once again muting that panic alarm in his head as he leant forwards to kiss the younger mans lips with a hungry desire. "I'm perfect." He rasped as he pulled back, sliding one of his legs around Greg's to pull him closer so that their pulsating erections were sliding against each other with each gentle roll of their hips.

Greg could soon feel Nick's entire body starting to involuntary quiver against him. He held him closer to stop him from pulling back, wanting to hold him tight as the supposedly sinful nectar surged through his tense body.

A cloaked scream of deep pleasure soon escaped Nick's lips as his body vibrated against Greg's, releasing that familiar ecstasy feeling throughout his body, only this time it was a lot more intense as it was driven by his desire for the thing he had always wanted but had never been able to touch, until now.

Nick felt stupid for ever fearing something that consumed his entire body in a deep sea of pleasure.

Nick soon dozed off to sleep in his lover's arms, not caring about anyone or anything anymore; he just wanted to stay in Greg's arms, hoping one day he would take his innocence whole, bringing him deeper under the thrall of this supposedly sinful ecstasy that he had finally gotten a taste of and he never wanted to go back.

* * *

**When my cousin re-read this for me, she said I made Greg sound like a drug :D I don't know if she meant that as a good thing or a bad thing, but I hope you all enjoyed it. Thank you so, so much for reading, reviewing, favouriting and putting my story on alert so far. I'm glad you're enjoying it. I love to read your reviews, they're really encouraging!**

**Happy New Year!**

**I should be able to write more once the new year kicks in, everythings just been crazy busy with the big family holidays and things. I hope you all had a great holiday too!**

**Please Review!**

**~ Holly**


	15. Chapter 14: Next Step

**A/N: Thanks so much to those of you that have wished me a happy birthday :D It's my 22nd today. Here's my gift to you all, another chapter. I hope you enjoy it! I stayed up till 4am to beta it and now it's 5am lol. I don't know why but my writers block seems to disappear the more tired I am :D**

**Chapter Fourteen: Next Step**

Waking up with his naked body pressed up against Greg's for the first time, Nick didn't feel awkward or sinful, he felt privileged and special to be able to hold such a beautiful man in his arms. He thought of the countless women he had slept with that never satisfied him, just leaving his life more and more empty then he looked down at the young man snoozing against his chest, allowing a wide smile to spread across his lips as Greg was the only one he ever wanted to sleep with again. The feelings he had for him were true, he could feel them now more than ever. He had never connected or fallen for someone as hard as him before in his life.

Nick gently brushed his fingers through Greg's dishevelled spikes of fluffy dry hair, holding his body securely against him, wanting to savour the moment before the panic alarm in his head went off again. "Hey G, you awake?" He whispered as he felt the younger man starting to stir.

"Yeah." Greg's delicate voice came out in a soft whisper as he turned his head towards Nick, giving him a soft smile. "Morning."

"Mornin'." Nick replied, mindlessly swirling his fingertips across the exposed shoulder blade peeking out from under the covers. "Did you sleep well?"

"No." Giving out a soft yawn, Greg rolled away from Nick to lie on the vacant area beside him, taking a moment to rub his eyes open from his sleep before he smiled at the confused man lying beside him. "It was amazing." He finally declared with a cheeky giggle. Rolling onto his side against Nick's warm body, Greg gave him a soft smile as he placed his hand flat on his boyfriend's chest. "How are you?"

"I'm..." Nick beamed a wide smile towards Greg. "Well, to be honest... I don't know." Putting his hands under his head, Nick relaxed back against his pillows as he stared up at the ceiling. "I feel pretty amazin', a little nervous, peaceful, happy... and totally hot smitten for you." He smiled as he tilted his head to the side, watching Greg's adorable face exploding into an equally wide smile. "Oh my gawd, I sound like a gushy teenager." The Texan laughed at himself.

"You sound adorable." Giggling softly, Greg slid his hand down to Nick's side, leaning further over him to press their lips together. "So, you're not freaked out?"

Nick shook his head, circling his hands around Greg's warm body beside him. "Nope, why would I be freaked out?"

"Maybe because... at the moment of the big O you laid there and held me tight, all wet and sticky." Greg dreamily sighed, gazing into Nick's eyes at the memory. "Most first time guys run to the shower to immediately get clean. But you didn't, you held me tight in your warm embrace while we were still all wet and sticky in our love."

"I wanted this. I wanted you." Nick assured him, softly biting his lower lip as he sheepishly smiled in Greg's direction. "Now I feel ridiculous though."

"Why?"

"Because I sound like a love sick puppy in front of my best friend who happens to be a guy." He chuckled, loosening his grip around Greg's body to look at the clock on his bedside table. "Two hours till our flight, did you pack yet?" Greg's immediate guilty expression said it all. "You are kiddin' me right? Two hours Greg!"

"I started... I got distracted though. Can you blame me? Check out the body of my boyfriend and you'll know why." The younger man giggled, reaching for the towel over the side of the bed. "I'll go make coffee." He suggested as he slipped the towel around his waist before he climbed off the bed. "If we don't get time to pack my stuff, I totally don't mind going naked."

"I'll bet." Nick laughed, glad the morning after wasn't at all awkward.

Reaching for Nick's boxers off the floor, Greg handed them over to him, slowly heading off towards the bedroom door. "You've still got my coffee here right?" He called back to him.

"Yep, cupboard with the coffee cups." Nick smiled after him as he slipped his boxers on underneath the covers, not really wanting to shower the sticky scents of his new lover off his body, but he could tell by how perfect the morning was going so far that they'd get plenty more of opportunities to be bathed in one another's scents again.

Nick for one couldn't wait.

Greg made them each a coffee then carried them through to the bedroom, where he heard the shower water running from the next room. Curiosity getting the better of him, Greg set down the coffees on the bed side table, securing the slipping towel in place at his hips again as he took a seat on the end of Nick's bed to look through the open inviting door towards the shower.

Through the frosted glass of the shower, Greg could make out Nick's perfect figure. Just looking at his body made his own become hard. He had never seen someone as beautiful as Nick that was so nervous about being intimate with his ultimate desire.

He watched Nick running his hands through his hair before he turned the water off and slid the door open, reaching a hand out towards the towel rail to retrieve a towel for himself. Once the towel was securely wrapped at his hips, Nick stepped out of the shower, immediately noticing Greg sat on his bed with a look of lust in his eyes.

"Hey, did you wonna use the shower?" He indicated towards it behind him as the steam rose up around his heavenly body.

"No I'm good, I have to get home and finish packing." Greg pointed out.

"Afraid I'll see you naked?" The older man chortled, leaning against the frame of his bathroom door. "I grew up playin' sports G; I've seen plenty of guys naked in the locker room."

"And still you never went for em." Greg giggled, climbing to his feet off the bed. "I seriously don't know how you did it for so long Tex." Taking a few steps closer towards Nick, Greg placed a single fingertip on the golden torso stood before him, gently tracing a water droplets path towards Nick's navel. "Showering beside you every day, I wouldn't be able to resist touching you."

"You would if you grew up with my father." Gently resting his wet forehead against Greg's luscious head of hair, Nick watched as Greg's fingertip slowly circled his navel, gently brushing against the path of hair from beneath it towards the top of his towel. "Are you okay Greg, you're really quiet... I mean for you."

"I'm fine; it's when I start rambling that you really have to worry." He smiled as he looked up into Nick's eyes. "I should probably go. You want me to come back here after or you wonna pick me up?"

"Bein' the gentleman that I am, I think I'll come pick you up. I can take yah too." Nick winked at him, placing his hands on the younger mans hips as he leant forwards to press his lips to Greg's. "I'll even let you borrow a pair of my underwear so you don't have to go back to your mother in dirty undies." He chuckled as he had once told him that his mother told him to always wear clean underwear for each day.

"I _don't_ deserve you." Greg breathed across his lips, closing his eyes as Nick's tongue gently caressed the roof of his mouth.

"Yes you do." Nick whispered as he pulled back. "You have no idea how special you are."

"Hopefully not in the retarded sense of the word." Greg giggled before he whirled around back for the bedroom to finally get changed. Nick retrieved a pair of his boxers for him, licking his lips as he watched Greg wriggling into them beneath his towel. "Don't look at me like that or I'll never leave and I'll have to wear the clothes on my back the whole vacation."

"Fine by me." Nick grinned as the only clothing he was wearing were Nick's boxers. "I thought the point in vacation was to get out of old habits, like clothin'." He smirked, slipping his fingers into the rim of his boxers on Greg to pull him closer for an affectionate kiss.

"Mmm, who are you and what'd you do with my nervous cowboy?" Greg teased against his lips.

"I locked him in the closet, now you've got the real deal." He snickered; initiating a slow sensual kiss to the younger mans soft lips before he finally let him go so he could get dressed and run home to get packed.

"So you're gonna leave the nervous cowboy here in the closet while you come all the way to Hawaii with me?" Greg grinned as he pulled his jeans up his thighs, securing them in place with a belt at his hips. "Is that wise, considering you've been hiding this part of you in that closet for years?"

"It was an expression; you don't have to be a shrink about everythin' G." He smirked as he head over to his walk in closet. "I choose not to fret that I had... the most exhilaratin' experience of my life with another man." He spoke from his heart as he stepped into his closet, searching for something to wear. "Do you want me to be the nervous closet hidin' gay guy that can't even touch you without havin' a freak out?"

"Nope. But you're still in a closet, no matter how you look at it." Greg gave him a slight smile as Nick was still literally standing in his closet. "You can't hide any part of yourself from me in order for this to work out Nicky. And the fact that you said the word _gay_ without flinching, is a very good start." He winked across the room at him. "You can't hide the nervous cowboy or the hot stud. I want them both."

"I promise. I wouldn't lie to you about my feelin's anyway, I'm... ridiculously happy with you Greg. You're the only person in my whole life that I trust more than anythin'. I just... wonna be myself with you." Nick assured him, selecting out some jeans and a smart navy blue dress shirt before he finally stepped out of the closet. "And it works both ways Greg; you have to tell me when you're nervous or not enjoyin' somethin'."

"I promise." Greg parroted, dropping onto the edge of the bed to drink his coffee while Nick finished getting dressed. "I'm ridiculously happy with you too Nicky." He beamed a wide smile up at him, watching a small smile playing across the Texan's lips.

Lifting the half empty mug from Greg's hands, Nick set it down on the bedside table before he leant closer to touch their lips together. Closing his eyes, Greg fell back against the bed as Nick wildly explored the inside of his mouth with his tongue then abruptly pulled back as he realised he really was distracting the younger man from packing for their vacation.

"C'mon Greg, no more kissin' or makin' out until we're there." Nick warned him as he climbed to his feet. "You can leave your car here; I'll take us both in my truck."

"Even though you're the one who keeps initiating them? Okay." He reluctantly agreed, glad they were going to be alone and together the whole vacation so there would be plenty of time to kiss his new boyfriend. "Doncha love the beginnings of new relationships?" Greg grinned before he finished the rest of his coffee then went on a hunt through the house to find his sneakers.

After rushing to Greg's apartment to get him packed, Nick drove the both of them off towards the airport so they wouldn't miss their flight, glad that they didn't bump into Greg's mother while they were there, but he was beginning to feel more than a little nervous about the holiday with his best friend as it was the very first vacation he had ever been on without family, not to mention the fact that it was the very first boyfriend he had ever taken away for a romantic getaway. Just the two of them, alone together.

Nick desperately tried to focus on the good things though so that he would actually get on the flight, and not end up regretting it for the rest of his life, the same way he had been regretting everything else that he had ever been to afraid to try.

"Are you ready?" Greg asked as they reached the last gate.

Taking hold of Greg's hand with his own, Nick gave him a firm nod as he weaved their fingers together. "Yes I am." He beamed a side smile at him, relaxing his nerves as they finally head into the plane, taking their sits halfway down near one of the windows.

A young couple that looked a lot like newlyweds slipped into their seats after a quick passionate kiss in the aisle. The way the young woman was admiring the ring on her finger, Nick could easily tell it was brand new. He watched the two of them sharing another quick kiss through green eyes of envy before the young woman started to fiddle with things in her purse in her seat, leaving her new husband to load the bags into the overhead storage.

"Mommy! Mommy!" A little girl with curly blonde pigtails called out to her mother, jumping on the spot in the middle of the aisle as she had found their seats. "Mommy! Mommy, over here Mommy!" She pointed to them as her dress fit for a princess flowed around her as she continued to jump and down in excitement.

"Yes, alright Arianna!" Her mother scolded her for disturbing the other passengers already. "Sit down then." Arianna's mother rolled her eyes as the hyperactive little girl climbed onto her chair and started fiddling with the lights and things above her seat already. "Arianna, stop that! I'm terribly sorry." She apologised to all the passengers around her as she tried to settle down her daughter in her seat.

From the look on the mothers face, Nick would have guessed that she had recently gone through a divorce or possibly even a death. They hadn't seemed to pack very much luggage, and as soon as Arianna's mother dropped into her seat, Nick noticed that she started fiddling with things in her purse until she pulled out a bottle of anti-anxiety medication, popping two into her mouth.

An elderly couple then waddled past them towards the seats at the back, fussing over who got to sit by the window before they finally took their seats, arguing with one another about the location of their seats in the plane. "Well I told you to book in advance Henry, I told you so many times. But Nooo, you never listen to me. I'm just your batty old wife who raised your children and cooks all your meals," She continued to ramble until the flight attendants finally called for everyone's attention to begin the pre-flight check.

"Hey CSI." Greg whispered as he poked him in the side to get his attention. "You're not on the job right now are you?"

"No." Nick frowned slightly. "Why?"

"You're watching them like hawks." Greg giggled as he moved to a comfier position in his seat. "Did you happen to notice the burn marks on our air hostess's fingers?"

"That's flight attendant." Nick corrected him then took a look for himself. "Somebody burnt themselves smokin' on their crack pipe."

Greg giggled again as Nick really couldn't leave the job behind. "At least it's an old burn, and I'd be more worried if she was the one flying our plane." Gently tapping Nick's knee, Greg gave him a soft smile. "We'll be there before you know it Nicky."

"I'm not nervous." He protested.

"Yeah, you are." Knowing Nick all too well, Greg reached into Nick's jacket pocket for his own anti-anxiety medication that his doctor had recently prescribed for him. "You might as well take your recommended dose now." As Nick gave him a confused look, Greg explained further, "Would you rather be mellow or freaking out around little Arianna and poor old Henry?"

"Ha, and you call me the CSI who can't leave the job behind." Nick smirked then twisted the lid off the bottle, reluctantly popping two into his mouth. "There, are you happy now G?"

"Now that you're gonna be okay, yeah." Greg grinned, recapping the pills for him. "Just think, we'll be on the beach in just a few hours topping up our tans."

"Speak for yourself; I've got an all year round tan." Nick smirked as he held one of his tanned arms up against Greg's. "You need more sun there boy."

"And how am I supposed to get more sun working the night shift crew? I'm not like you golden boy, my people just don't tan." Greg pointed out to him then giggled softly as Nick gently tickled him.

"We've got plenty of time to get you a tan." Nick assured him. "Among other things." He whispered, smiling as Greg looked round at him surprised.

"Keep that confident cowboy thing on the down low until we get there, Tex." Greg whispered to him as one of the flight attendants made their way down the aisle, giving the two of them a wide smile.

The flight to Hawaii didn't seem to take that long, which Nick was glad for as watching Greg sleeping beside him was pure torture.

"Ladies and Gentleman, welcome to Honolulu, Hawaii!" One of the younger flight attendants cheerily announced a few hours later, awaking Greg from his deep slumber. "The local time here is 8:23 am." She reported then started to give out the rest of the instructions.

"I don't wonna embarrass you there champ, but you're droolin'." Nick whispered to Greg beside him as he unclipped his seatbelt. Greg quickly raised one of his hands to wipe his chin, scowling at Nick for not waking him up sooner. "What? You looked too cute to wake up." He snickered.

"Evil." Greg muttered then watched Nick raising his wrist to turn his clock back from 10:23 am that was still set to Las Vegas.

The flight attendants all started to give out instructions for the passengers to exit the plane, helping them with their luggage before they ushered them off towards the door.

Greg followed Nick straight off towards the car rental, feeling a ton of emotions washing over him as they were finally miles away from Nick's family, Greg's mother and all of their friends so they could be completely themselves.

Nick followed the course of his carefully mapped out route to the hotel, smiling to himself as Greg fell fast asleep again in the passenger's seat of the rental car.

Pulling up outside the Waikiki hotel, Nick gazed up at it in wide eyes of wonder as he had never seen such a beautiful hotel and right on the beach. "Hey." Nick gently shook Greg awake, giving him a wide smile as his beautiful eyes slowly fluttered open. "We're here."

Giving out a wide yawn, Greg gazed up out the window at the hotel then turned to Nick, mirroring his wide grin. "So, are you ready to do this Nicky?"

"Yeah." Nick winked at him then climbed out the car, watching the hotel staff in their Hawaii styled t-shirts coming to greet them. One of them took the keys from Nick, handing him a slip to park his car while two others collected their luggage from the boot, leading them off into the hotel lobby to get their room keys.

"Wow." The Texan whistled, looking at the high ceilings, the gold leaf decorations on the walls, the exotic theme to every room and the large balcony that opened up to look out at the Waikiki beach, packed with families.

The best thing of all was that they were completely alone and had plenty of privacy in their whole suite.

Greg couldn't wait to tip the young man that insisted on carrying their luggage up the stairs for them. He quickly ushered him out of the room, locking the door in place once he was gone then stepped out onto the large balcony with his boyfriend, looking out at the beautiful sea in the distance that was gently rolling its way up the beach.

"Hey, you okay Nicky?"

"Yeah." Turning to face Greg, Nick reached out for his hands with his own, entwining their fingers together as he pulled the younger man closer against him. "I'm great. So, what did you wonna do first?"

"Actually, I gotta call Jean." Greg reminded him, watching Nick's expression turning into a frown. "I'm sorry. I know it's a real mood killer, but I did promise I'd call as soon as we landed. She's probably calling all the hospitals from Vegas to Hawaii already." He snickered as he reached into his jeans pocket to pull his cell phone out.

Nick reluctantly let go of his hands, watching Greg heading back into their room to call his mother so she knew that he was safe. He wished that his own parents would even care half the amount that Greg's mother did. Even though he was always complaining about how smothering she was, Greg had no idea how lucky he was to have such a loving and caring mother that would do anything for him.

"So, what did you wonna do?" Greg returned to the balcony, taking a seat on the sun bed beside where Nick was sat. "We can go hiking up to Diamond Head, it's best to do that a few hours before the sunsets though, the view from up there is amazing. Or we can go to Hanuama bay, try saying that ten times fast. We can go snorkelling there, the corals are amazing."

Nick smiled at Greg as he sounded like a tour guide. "What did _you_ wonna do first, G?"

"I don't know, there's loads to do. Like the Waimea falls park, we definitely have to go there. Later we can go to the shorebird restaurant and beach bar, you can see Diamond Head and the sunset from there while you eat. Then we can stroll along the beach after dinner like my parents used to do."

"Hanuama, Hanammma, Hanumama, Haminmama..."

"Ha, you can't do it can you?" Greg giggled.

Nick grinned wider as he could see how excited Greg was to show him everything on the island. "Just remember we have two weeks Greg, we don't have to see it all in one day."

"That's what my dad used to say." He giggled, leaning back on the sun bed behind him. "I just can't believe that I finally got you out here. Now I just have to wait to see you in shorts."

"Ha, I don't do shorts sweetheart." The older man chuckled as he climbed to his feet. "But I definitely wonna see you in a bathin' suit."

"You're cute when you're sexy." Greg chortled, beaming a delicious smile up at Nick, enticing him towards him.

Nick returned the smile then bravely straddled the younger mans thighs, smoothing his hands beneath Greg's t-shirt as he leant closer to join their lips together. He didn't know why, but knowing that they were miles away of anyone they knew made him feel safe and completely natural as he leant down to kiss the only man he ever dared to touch in a way that satisfied him more than anything in the world.

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed that chapter! Thanks so much for reading and for all of your reviews on the last few chapters.**


	16. Chapter 15: Honeymooning in Hawaii

**Chapter Fifteen: Honeymooning in Hawaii**

"Have you ever ridden horses before, Mr Stokes?" The young brunette asked as she set down the grooming bucket beside one of her horses.

"Yeah, I grew up around horses actually." The Texan nodded to her. "I grew up on a ranch in Texas; we had loads of horses there. My father used to train them."

"Sweet, what about you, Mr Sanders?" Turning to look at Greg as she brushed the horse's mare, the young girl smiled as the younger man looked very nervous around the animals. "They're perfectly safe, Mr Sanders. I've been riding since I was four, and a horse has never injured me."

"My mom never let me ride horses. She said they were too dangerous."

"You'll be fine." Nick assured him, putting his arm around his shoulder to comfort him as the kiss he wanted to give him had to be put on hold while they were around Macey, their tour guide to lead them up towards Waimea Falls Park by horseback. "I've been ridin' since I was a kid too. They're perfectly safe, Greg."

"They really are." Macey assured him as she handed him a piece of the horses' food. "Just hold your palm out flat to her." She instructed.

Greg looked round at Nick then took a step closer towards the horse, slowly extending his arm out with his palm as flat as it would go as he had fears of the horse suddenly biting one of his fingers off. Instead, the horse just sniffed his hand then lipped the food from his palm, tickling his soft skin as it did.

Greg quickly jumped back as the horse suddenly moved its head closer towards him, startling him back into Nick's arms. "Hey, it's okay." Placing his hands on the younger mans shoulders; Nick struggled not to laugh at how adorable Greg was for being scared of a horse. "They always do that." He assured him.

Greg involuntary shivered, feeling ridiculous for getting scared of a horse in front of his boyfriend and the twenty something year old trainer.

"Well, this one's Chestnut. She's been with us for two years now." Macey introduced them to the chestnut coated horse that she was brushing. "Mr Stokes, I'll put you on this one. Mr Sanders, I'll give you Magnum." She pointed to the slightly smaller black horse in one of the stables. "We give him to the first time riders as he never gets spooked, and he loves people." Macey assured him then dropped the brush back into the grooming bucket before she head off into the tack room to get Chestnut's bridle.

Macey strapped the bridle around the horse's mouth then fastened the throatlatch and flipped the reins over Chestnuts head before she went back to grab the saddle, professionally fastening it into place. Macey did the same to Greg's horse Magnum then saddled up her own horse before she got Nick and Greg a riding hat each, giving Greg some rental boots as his sneakers were dangerous to wear in case he got his foot stuck in the stirrup.

Nick gently tugged the helmet down over Greg's head and adjusted the straps before he clipped it in place under his chin. "You never did this with your parents when you came here?" He curiously asked.

"Nope." Greg shook his head. "We always walked there, but I don't mind going by horseback for you. This vacation was more for you then it was for me."

Nick shook his head back at him as he fastened his own helmet in place. "It's for both of us. Don't ever think that you're not important G. You're very important."

Greg gave him a smile then turned round as Macey brought Magnum towards him. Nick then gave Greg a boost onto his horse, helping him to readjust the stirrups before he climbed onto his own. Macey led the way off towards the training arena where they usually gave lessons so that she could teach Greg a few commands so he could easily control his horse.

Within no time at all, Greg soon got the hang of it, and even got used to the horses jerky head movements that freaked him out before. Once they were set, Macey led the way off towards Waimea Falls Park, taking the horse trail up towards the top.

Nick looked around at the scenery in wide eyes of amazement. The scenery here was nothing like what he was used to back home in Texas or back in Las Vegas. There were trees, plants and landscapes he had only ever seen on post cards, and the water was so crystal clear that the further up they got, the clearer he could see the bottom where all the fish were swimming around.

"How you doing back there Greg?" Macey called back to him.

"Fine, I'm not gonna be able to sit down for a week though." He muttered as the horse kept bouncing.

"Slide further forwards on the saddle." Macey instructed as she stopped her horse to check he was doing it right. "That's it." She smiled at him. "Try not to hold the reins so tight either. That's it."

"It's not as hard as I thought." Greg smirked then smiled over at Nick as the other man had his head tilted back, enjoying the gentle breeze brushing against his skin.

Greg could feel the hot sun on his back, the sweat was practically pouring off his body, sticking his shirt to his skin. He started to wish that he had picked out a thinner t-shirt, but it was too late now, they were nearly there.

The helmet wobbled on his head as the sweat from his hair poured down the sides of his face. He was actually starting to get used to the bounce of the horse, it was actually rather soothing. Reaching one hand out, Greg gently brushed his fingers through the soft hair on the horses head. He quickly reached back for the reins again, fearing that he was going to fall, but Magnum seemed to be a very careful animal. Magnum's hooves daintily moved over the uneven terrain beneath his feet, he didn't buck or try to throw Greg at all like he had originally feared, so he was actually starting to like the animal.

"There it is." Macey pointed towards it as they arrived.

"Wow, its bigger then I remembered." Greg gasped as he looked towards the forty five foot high water fall that he had seen lots of times as a child, but he never remembered it being that big.

Macey stopped her horse then climbed down, checking that Nick got down okay before she turned to Greg. She really didn't need to help him though as the older man seemed really eager to help him down.

Nick helped Greg down off his horse then unstrapped the helmet from the younger mans chin, lifting it free off his sweaty head of hair. Greg gave him a wide smile as he could tell by the look in Nick's eye that he wanted to kiss him right now, but he wasn't brave enough to do it around Macey, even though she sensed that they were romantically involved from the way they looked at each other the whole ride up.

Walking a little closer towards the fenced edge together, Nick and Greg looked out at the water fall as some fearless divers jumped from the top then flew through the air like graceful birds before they landed in the clear blue water below with a splash.

"Fancy a go?" Macey grinned round at them. Both men simultaneously shook their heads as they watched another diver going down. Macey smiled at them then turned back to the horses to make sure they got some water so they could complete the second part of their journey.

"Hey." Nick whispered as he took a step closer towards Greg. "Thanks for bringin' me here G."

"You're welcome." Greg beamed a wide smile round at him then looked at him surprised as Nick slipped his hand into his own, weaving their fingers tightly together. "We'll have to put a rain check on that kiss you're dying to give me, huh?"

Nick just returned his smile, clutching his hand tighter as he took in the beautiful sights of the water fall below. "I think she already senses we're together, just like half the hotel staff." Nick pointed out to him. "What kinda guys come out to a romantic location like this; share a romantic suite and go horseback ridin' together?" He smirked. "If they haven't at least guessed that we're... gay by now, then they must really be stupid."

Chuckling softly, Greg turned his head towards Nick, admiring the love in his eyes. "Hey, at least this will make up for all those times you took me hiking in the desert. We still have to go back around there." Greg pointed out the trail on the other side of the water fall. "Then maybe another day we can hike up to Diamond Head." He pointed out the taller peak in the distance."

"Not today, I'm exhausted." Nick smirked then fanned himself from the heat. "I could really use a shower though. Phew... so could you G, what the hell'd you eat?" He teased him as he smelt the scents on horse manure wafting up around them.

"Hey, that's not me." The younger man protested, poking Nick in the ribs as he pouted at him.

Nick chuckled softly, awestruck by the adorable pout on his boyfriend's lips. "Relax; I was just teasin' yah G." He winked at him. "So," Rubbing his hands together, Nick turned back towards the horses behind them. "You ready to do the second half? You know if you still like horse ridin' when we get back, maybe we could go campin'?" The Texan suggested.

"In the great outdoors? No thank you." Greg shook his head. "I hate camping."

"Aw, city boy afraid of a little nature?" Nick teased as he grabbed the younger mans helmet for him to strap it in place on his head again. "You've never been campin' with me." He pointed out to him as he fastened the strap beneath his chin. "You never know, you might like it."

"If you're willing to put up with my city boy moaning, then yeah." Greg grinned back then head over to Nick as he was about to help him back onto Magnum. Nick suddenly burst out laughing as Greg fell onto his stomach on the horse as he was swinging his other leg over.

The younger man scowled at him for laughing at his misfortune then sat up straight, taking the reins into his hands again. "No laughing at the city boy."

"I'm sorry; you just have no idea how adorable you look." Nick winked then blushed slightly as he realised he had said it out loud with Macey right behind him.

Greg grinned after him, watching Nick and Macey professionally getting back onto their horses instead of the clumsy way like he did. Once everyone was ready, Macey led the way through the rest of the course, pointing out things to them on the way like a professional tour guide.

As they continued on through the second half of the course, Nick was more interested in watching the younger man rather than the scenery. He couldn't believe that he had waited this long to tell him the truth about his true feelings. He had already wasted so much time in denial; he didn't want to waste anymore.

* * *

After showering the sand and sweat from his body after the long horse ride, Nick wrapped a towel around his hips and head off into the bedroom where Greg had just crashed on the bed, still wrapped in a towel from his shower and had fallen fast asleep.

Lowering himself onto the bed beside him, Nick placed one hand on the younger mans smooth stomach and leant over him to press his lips to his forehead. Greg slowly fluttered his eyes open, turning his head to face Nick beside him. "Hey, you sleepy already G?"

"Horseback riding is hard." Greg smiled as he rubbed his eyes open. "It's okay for you, you're used to it."

"We can stay in the rest of the day?" Nick suggested as he feathered his fingertips across Greg's exposed chest. "We've got nothin' but time baby."

"Do I sense some romance planned?" Greg giggled softly as Nick's fingertips swirled across his ticklish ribs.

"No, not really." He shook his head. "You can sleep if you want then maybe later I can take you out to dinner."

"Mmm, that sounds good." Swirling his fingertips across Nick's forearm, Greg smiled as he looked into his beautiful chocolate brown eyes, full of his hunger for him. "You know you're dying to give me that kiss you've been craving all day, so why wait anymore, Tex?" Greg urged him on.

"I didn't know if you wanted me to."

"Of course I do." Greg giggled softly. "I've been waiting for you to kiss me all day."

"Okay." Leaning further over Greg, Nick brought their lips together, savouring the taste of his lips against his own for a moment before he gently slid his tongue inside of his mouth, lightly flicking it against Greg's. "You know, it doesn't feel weird when I kiss you now."

Greg raised one eyebrow up at him. "It did before?"

"I've never kissed my best friend before." Smiling softly against Greg's lips, Nick moved one of his hands to Greg's thigh, gently moving it north beneath the towel. "This is a first too."

"Rosy palm and Thumbelina on your best friends most..." Greg paused to whimper, making Nick's smile increase.

"Hard in two seconds flat? That must be some kind of a record." Nick rasped through a smug grin then captured Greg's vulnerable bottom lip between his own as he moved his hands to cup the younger man's flushed cheeks in his palms.

"I think I liked it better when you were too nervous to touch me." Greg let out a nervous laugh as his breath hitched in his throat.

Nick chuckled softly then lay down on the bed beside Greg, gently feathering his fingertips across the younger mans exposed chest. "Did you like the horse ridin' today?"

"Yeah, it was fun." Rolling onto his side to face Nick, Greg beamed a wide smile at him as he looked at the love in his eyes again. "Admit it though; you are more of the confident aggressor in a relationship aren't you?"

"Why would you say that?"

"The strapping my helmet on, you hold doors open for me and you even let me shower first. I totally don't mind though." He assured him. "I like to be possessed. That's why I've always preferred men to women. I don't like to be the... top dog, so to speak."

Letting out a soft chuckle, Nick leant forwards to capture Greg's lips with his own for a gentle kiss. "Okay, I admit it. I like to be the... alpha. That's how it was with most of the women I dated, so that's sorta what I'm used to."

"Looks like we fit perfectly then." Greg rasped before he leant forwards to capture Nick's lips with his own. "Did you wonna go out to lunch then?" He queried, pulling back for a brief moment before he resumed kissing his boyfriend.

Nick chuckled softly then pushed Greg back from him slightly, feeling as though he was being smothered in kisses. "I would love to go to lunch with you, but you said earlier that you wanted to go snorkellin'. We can't only do the things I wonna do all day, I told you, you're important too."

"It's a Sanders curse." The younger man giggled as he smoothed his fingers through Nick's wet hair. "We can go snorkelling another day, I don't mind."

"Well... how hungry are you?" Nick queried as his boyfriend continued to put his needs before his own. Greg just answered him with him a shrug though, so Nick made the decision on his own. "That settles it then, we're goin' snorkellin' first then we'll eat after. I've always wanted to go snorkellin' anyway."

"Okay, swim shorts and sun screen then." Greg snatched a kiss then scrambled off the bed, searching his draws for the spare bottles of sun screen Jean had bought especially for them. "Found it, water proof sun screen. You're not allergic to anything are you?" Nick shook his head as he dug his shorts out of his draw. "Mm, hot. I thought they'd be longer." Greg rasped, giving the older man a cheeky grin as he looked round at him. "So what was all that 'I don't do shorts sweetheart' nonsense about?" He asked, mimicking the Texan's accent as best he could.

"You want me to wear a jump suit to go then?" Nick smirked as he slid the shorts on underneath his towel. "I said I don't do shorts, swim shorts are a whole different thing."

"Well, from now on you should totally wear _swim shorts_ everywhere you go. Why would you want to hide your beautiful assets beneath layers of clothing all the time?" The younger man queried as he tugged his own swim shorts up his legs, laughing at how adorable Nick looked while he was blushing. "And the city boy actually made the cowboy blush, that's gotta be some kinda of a record, doncha think?" He declared.

"God you're hyper." Nick laughed at him.

"I'm only hyped up on you, Tex." Greg winked across the room at him as he tugged a t-shirt down over his head to hide the scars from onlookers before he grabbed them some more extra towels. "You ready to go, Gorgeous?" He asked, turning back to face the handsome Texan.

"Yep, don't be checkin' my arse." He warned him, even though he fully expected him to as the shorts were a lot tighter then he remembered.

"Okay, but you forced my eyes in those shorts, dude. I'll just have to let them wonder elsewhere." He teased him through a cheeky grin.

Nick couldn't help but smile again as the younger man was still the typical Greg Sanders, not only was his best friend that he had always been so fond of as he was always so full of surprises, but he was now the man he had fallen in love with, and the love he felt for him just continued to grow the more time he spent with him.

The two of them head off down to the beach to rent some snorkelling gear, finding a private part of the beach to get ready. Greg handed Nick over the sun screen bottle, figuring he'd want to do it himself since they were in a public place. Nick looked around at the few people around them that weren't paying any attention to them then handed the bottle over to Greg. "Can you do it, I can't get my back."

"Sure." Tugging Nick closer by the strings of his swim shorts, Greg gave the nervous man a soft smile as he gently massaged the sun cream across his chest. "What's the matter, you having second thoughts?"

"About us?" Nick queried surprised, trying not to squirm as Greg's fingertips massaged their way across his abs.

"About the snorkelling." Greg smirked, turning Nick in his arms to rub the sun cream into his broad back. "You don't have to go snorkelling if you don't want to. We're not going that deep. I've been doing it since I was like six or seven years old. It's easy." He assured him, while sliding his fingertips across the broad muscles of Nick's shoulders. "Much easier than horse riding anyway. The best thing is that you can hold my hand and no one will take a second look."

"I'm okay with the snorkellin'. I was just... thinkin'." Turning back round to face Greg once he was done with his back, Nick smiled softly as he looked into his eyes. "I'm not havin' second thoughts, just... thoughts about us."

"Oh yeah. You wonna do me?" Grinning widely, Greg handed over the bottle of sun cream then shivered as Nick's fingertips reached for the rim of his t-shirt, tugging it up over his head. "Do I dare ask what kinda thoughts?" He snickered as Nick squeezed some sun cream onto his palm then slowly began to rub it into Greg's smooth chest, making the younger man shiver as no one had ever touched him like that.

"Are yah ticklish G?" He smirked as Greg clenched his teeth into his lower lip, struggling not to laugh. "I was just thinkin' about our friendship." Gently turning Greg in his arms, Nick looked at the scars covering his back before he slowly started to massage then sun cream into his back. "I've never been this close to any guy before you. But I could never see for myself that it was because..."

"You got the hots for me?" Greg finished for him, giggling softly as Nick tickled his sides.

"Yeah, like maybe I subconsciously knew I liked you before I knew it." Nick laughed at himself. "That doesn't make any sense at all, does it?"

"Kinda." Greg closed his eyes now that his back was turned to Nick, savouring the touch of the older man's hands on the skin that no one had ever touched. "I've always liked you because of our friendship. I've never been this close to any guy or girl before either." Greg truthfully admitted to him. "Don't get me wrong, you've got a great figure, but that's not the most important thing to me. I care more about what's on the inside and you're a great guy with a big heart, and I've never cared about anyone this much in my life."

Nick smiled as he feathered his fingertips from the small of Greg's back to his neck, tracing each of the skin graft scars before he snaked his arms around Greg's waist, pulling him back against his chest to hold tightly in a loving embrace. "I know what you're tryin' to say to me Greg." He whispered against his neck. "Me too."

Greg smiled as Nick held him tightly. He could feel Nick's heart fluttering against his back, only making the heat in his own body steadily increase. "You know Nicky; we don't have to do this today. We can head back to the hotel?" Whimpering softly as Nick's hands slid down to his hips, Greg leant further back against his body, shivering in suspense of the older man's touch.

"You made the snorkellin' sound really fun though." Nick whispered against his neck, slowly relinquishing his grip of the younger man's body. "You can hold on till then right?" He teased as he playfully tapped the younger man on the backside.

"Tease." Greg rolled his eyes at him then grabbed the equipment they needed before they finally head off towards the beach.

"Ready?" Greg handed over the goggles to Nick, giving him a wide smile. Nick gave him a nod then followed after Greg into the water, comfily fitting the goggles onto his face before he dove under the clear blue water with Greg.

Holding Nick's hand beneath the water, Greg led the way, pointing out the hundreds of different fish swimming around them. There were large gold coloured fish swimming in groups, cluster of grey, silver and brown fish swimming together through and around the corals then a large turtle, swimming gracefully over the rocks. Nick had never done anything like this in his life, but it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

"Wow." Nick pulled his goggles off as they reached the surface of the water, finding his footing on the sandy bed. "I had no idea they were that beautiful."

"See, I told you there's more to this world then Vegas." Greg grinned at him, tugging off his flippers so it was easier to walk back across the sandy beach. Greg dropped his goggles and flippers down on the sand then dropped to his towel, grinning as Nick dropped down on top of him, joining their lips together for a salt water kiss before he rolled onto the towel beside him, staring up at the spotless sky above them.

"I can't believe I've never taken a vacation like this before. From now on, I'm only goin' on vacation with you." He grinned round at him, entwining their hands together at their sides.

Greg's lips spread into an ear to ear grin. "I like the sound of that."

"So, what are we gonna do after lunch?" Nick queried, not wanting the adventure to end.

"Well, we could go for a walk. Or we can go to the spa back at the hotel. Or if you want, we can spend the rest of the afternoon in the hotel. Just hang out and watch movies... or something else?" He grinned widely as he circled his fingertip around across Nick's torso.

Nick smiled at him, brushing a hand through his new boyfriend's wet spikes of hair. "I like the sound of that." He repeated Greg's words, leaning forwards to kiss his salty lips.

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed that chapter. The horseriding and snorkelling were the hardest parts to write because I've never done either myself and the environment I got from staring at photos of the Park and waterfall, so I hope it was real enough for you :D**

**Thanks for all of your reviews on the last chapter! I'm glad you enjoyed it!**

**Please Review!**

**~ Holly**


	17. Chapter 16: Bad Days and Nightmares

**Chapter Sixteen: Bad Days and Nightmares**

Entering his condo after yet another long shift, Nick dropped his keys onto the side table then head straight off through his bachelor pad of twinkling disco lights off towards the bedroom at the end of the hall. A wide grin immediately spread across his features as he entered the bedroom, finding his lover fast asleep across the middle of the tiger fur bed spread. Removing all of his clothes in one swift motion, Nick climbed onto the bed with him, starting to press loving kisses to his slumbering lover's forehead.

As he slowly began to stir awake, the younger man occupying the Texan's bed beamed a wide smile up at him then licked his lips. He hadn't seen Nick all day at the lab, so he was very pleased to see that look of lust in the older man's eyes when he came home.

"Hey Buttercup, you up for a little, R and R?" The Texan asked as he wiggled his eyebrows down at him.

"I should have never turned you onto gay sex, Tex." The younger man giggled as his Texan lover was always so horny.

"C'mon honey, I want _you_, inside of _me_." He rasped as he softly nibbled his ear lobe.

"Oh Nicky, I'm too tired." Greg weakly complained through a soft smile as he smoothed his hands down the golden body on top of him. "You can do it the other way though; it requires no effort on my part."

"Lazy arse." Nick laughed then reached for the bed side draw and grabbed the lubricant and an extra large condom from their stash that had severely decreased in just a matter of days.

Tearing open the wrapper with his teeth, Nick beamed a wide smile down at the younger man as he gently rolled it up his throbbing length. Nick slicked himself up with the peanut butter lubricant then rolled his lover onto his belly, pushing himself deep inside the younger mans writhing body. His thrusts started slow and gentle, being encouraged to speed up by the younger man's soft moans and pleas for him to go deeper.

As Nick closed his eyes, he felt a sea of ecstasy over coming him. Opening his eyes again, Nick found that their positions had been reversed and he was now lying on his recently varnished; see-through dining room table, complete with black leather studded chairs under the soft flicker of red candle lights while Greg was stood between his thighs, plundering himself deep inside of him.

Suddenly, the front door flew open and Nick's parents saw Greg taking their youngest son whole. "Nicholas?" His mother shrieked.

"Pancho, what are you doin'? You've shamed the family!" Judge Bill Stokes shouted at him with fury in his eyes while his mother screamed and cried, covering her eyes from the sinful act displayed before her very eyes.

Nick tried to move but he was trapped on all sides. He could still hear Greg's moans, but the lights around him had dimmed to a fluorescent green. As Nick tried to move again, to try and stop Greg from deflowering him in front of his mother a Plexiglas lid slammed shut on top of him.

"No!" He screamed in terror, struggling and fighting against the four sides that now surrounded him. "Help me!" He called out to them with desperation in his voice.

"You've brought this on yourself Nicholas." His father's muffled voice called out to him. "You've shamed the family."

"Greg, help me!" Nick pleaded, choking on the dirt filling his lungs. "Help me please!"

"You're a bad boy Nicholas." Jillian Stokes suddenly appeared with a gun above him, trained directly on his head. "Bad boys rot in hell!" Jillian pulled the trigger of the gun in her hands, smiling as the bullet soared through the air towards her son.

The loud bang echoed through the Plexiglas coffin, striking Nick directly between the eyes.

Quickly rising to a sitting position, Nick pushed back the covers of the bed from his body and inhaled heavy deep breaths. His whole body was shaking and he could feel the sweat pouring off his body. As he finally got up the courage to look around the room, Nick realised that he was still in Hawaii with Greg, and none of it had really happened.

Placing his hand on his chest, Nick tried to steady his heart beat from the panic as the form beside him slowly started to stir awake.

"Hey, you okay?" His sleepy bed mate rubbed his eyes open, giving him a quizzical look as he was looking at him as though he had just seen a ghost. "Bad dream, Nicky?" Sitting up beside him, Greg reached out to touch him but Nick immediately flinched back. "What, what's wrong?" Greg immediately asked.

"Nothin', I'm fine." Ducking out of the way of Greg's touch again, Nick scrambled off the bed and ran for the bathroom as if the bed was on fire.

Greg leant back on his elbows, wondering what kind of dream Nick must have had to make him flee the very sight of him. He couldn't imagine what horrors had been swimming around in his head since being rescued from a Plexiglas box that was infested with red fire ants underground, and he didn't really want to either because it was too painful to even think of Nick going through that alone.

Greg waited a few more minutes then head off towards the bathroom, slowly pushing the door open to see if Nick was okay. "Hey Nicky, what happened?" He spoke softly so he wouldn't startle him as he slowly entered the room. Nick was leant over the sink and his face was dripping with water. Greg assumed he must have splashed himself with some cold water to cool himself down, but he could also see that Nick's limbs were all shaking with fear. "Nicky?"

"Don't touch me." Nick suddenly snapped, pushing Greg back slightly as he got too close. "I'm fine, just quit askin' me would yah?"

"Okay." Greg quickly nodded his head as he placed his hands at his sides.

Nick inhaled a few deep breaths then looked up at Greg, regretting shouting at him already as it wasn't his fault at all. "Go back to bed Greg, I'm fine." He assured him in a much calmer tone. "I'll be there in a bit."

"Okay." Slowly turning for the door, Greg head out the bathroom and back to the bed, nervously crawling back under the sheets as he feared Nick had a freak out about his sexuality since he didn't want Greg anywhere near him.

As promised though, Nick eventually emerged from the bathroom and climbed back onto the bed with Greg. "I'm sorry. Bad dream is all." He apologised as he lay down beside Greg, lifting the younger man's hand into his own for comfort.

"Do you wonna talk about it?" Greg spoke softly.

"It's not really that important, just the usual coffin crap, only this time my mother shot me in the head." Nick purposely left out the main details then turned his head to look at Greg's reaction. "See, I told you. Not important."

"Still, you know that you can tell me anything." Greg whispered as he clutched his hand tightly in his own. "Nothing would ever make me change my mind about you. You'll always be my best friend." He assured him.

"I know that, but," Rolling onto his side to completely face Greg, Nick gave him a soft smile as he looked at his pouting lips poised in front of him. "As my best friend, I can tell you that I clearly have a big ego, and apparently I want you inside of me."

Greg gave him a slight frown before his lips spread into a soft smile. "I thought you said it was a bad dream?"

"Well the beginnin' wasn't." Nick shook his head. "It was... kinda... hot, actually." He smiled as he thought back to it. "But then... I was bein' buried alive, again. And my Mama shot me in the head, that's when I woke up."

Greg sensed that he wasn't telling him something, but he wasn't about to argue with him as he had chosen to come back to the bed with him instead of running from the hotel and catching a flight straight back to Vegas to bed a hot chick and get all feelings of Greg out of his mind. But luckily, that was just Greg's nightmare, one he chose not to share with his best friend either.

"I'm fine, really Greg, don't worry." Nick pulled the younger man closer so that he was reclined against him then slowly began to doze back off to sleep, forgetting about the nightmare he had just endured and tried to think of other things like the man he was really starting to love who was wrapped in his arms. The man he was also hoping to spend the rest of his life with too.

* * *

The next morning, Greg awoke alone on the bed. He reached out for Nick's side to feel his warmth, but felt that his side was cold, meaning he hadn't been there for a long time. Rubbing his eyes open, Greg gave out a wide yawn then climbed off the bed to begin searching for Nick in the hotel room.

Heading out onto the balcony, Greg folded his arms across his chest as he leant against the doorframe, looking over at Nick staring off into space just ahead of him. "Penny for your thoughts." He spoke softly, taking a few steps closer towards him. "Morning, how long you been up?"

"Not long." Nick shook his head. "I didn't wonna wake yah, you looked so peaceful."

Greg sensed that Nick was still trying to hide something from him, so he took a few steps closer towards him, speaking in a soft tone of voice, "I don't know if you know this about me, but I'm a _very_ good listener." The younger man smiled as he sat on the table just beside the chair Nick was sat on.

"I'll bet." Giving the younger man a slight smile, Nick set down the glass of water in his hands then rested his head back against the chairs back. "I was just thinkin', about the Plexiglas coffin."

"What about it?" He inquired, resting his chin in his hands, ready to listen.

"I just..." Nick let out a soft sigh as he looked up into Greg's eyes. "The part that really scares me, wasn't the coffin or the ants. It was the gun." He finally explained. "He put that gun there because he knew that I'd..." Nick's voice croaked with emotion, causing him to stop speaking as he didn't want to cry in front of Greg. "He knew that I'd do it."

"But you didn't."

"I was goin' to though." Nick pointed out to him as he shielded his eyes from the sun. "If you guys had been a second later, I would have pulled that trigger, and it would have been over." Nick was about to let his emotions break when a warm pair of lips suddenly merged with his own, comforting him in more ways than a listener would.

"You didn't do it though Nicky; you're alive because you were meant to live." The younger man whispered as he pulled back from his lips. "That guy doesn't know you; if he did he would have known that none of that would have stopped you from surviving because you're you, you're a survivor." Greg assured him as he straddled his thighs, gently cupping his face in his hands. "You're meant to be here, because you're important to the world."

Nick's lips finally spread into a smile. "Me, important? I think you mean I'm important to you G, not the world."

"Uh hello, who was the big hero that saved that little girl Cassie?" Greg asked him. "You're wrong about me Nicky; I'm not the only one that sells myself short. You do it all the time. Cassie wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for you. And yeah, you are really important to me, but that's not the only reason that you're still alive."

Nick smiled again then wiped the tears from his eyes, moving his arms to wrap them around the warm body on top of him. "Everyone should have a best friend like you."

"Everyone will have to miss out, because I'm yours." Greg grinned widely then captured Nick's lips for another heated kiss.

As they heard a knock at their hotel room door, both men pulled apart, turning their heads in that direction. "Who's that?"

"I'll get it, that'll be our room service." Lifting the younger man from his lap, Nick scrambled to his feet then quickly head off towards the door to answer it. The waiter wheeled in the trolley, glanced between the dishevelled bed and the two men in the hotel room and raised his eyebrows.

It was a seemingly innocent reaction, but Nick caught onto it, immediately feeling as though he was being judged for being alone with a man in a honey moon suite.

Quickly ushering the waiter out of the room, Nick locked the door in place, trying to settle his ridiculous fears of the young man running down stairs to organise a protest against the queers in room 2666. _Now there's irony for you._ Nick thought to himself as he peeled himself off the door and wheeled the cart out onto the balcony where Greg was still sat.

Instead of sitting back down on the chair beside Greg, Nick plopped himself down on the one five feet away from him, anxiously biting his index fingernail as he worried about word getting back to his family that he shared a room with a man while he was on vacation in Hawaii. He had told his mother where he was going after all, but not who he was going with. He just said that he was going away alone to Hawaii for two weeks. He would have had to worry more if she was more like Greg's mother as she would probably call the hotel to check the reservations and find out that her son was in a couple's suite hotel room that was often used as a bridal suite for newlyweds.

"Nicky." Greg waved his hand in front of his face to get his attention as calling his name from across the patio wasn't working. "You're not hungry?" He queried, giving him a curious look.

"Nah, I'm not." He shook his head, only making Greg worry more as Nick was always hungry. "You can eat if you're hungry though G, don't mind me."

Greg gave him a curious look then grabbed himself some of the fresh fruit and yoghurts before he sat himself down on the chair just a few feet away from Nick while the older man continued to anxiously bite his fingernails, unable to look the man he was showing love for just a few minutes ago in the eye.

This change in affection seemed to happen throughout the rest of the day too, but Greg couldn't figure out why or what he had done to deserve it.

Greg took Nick off for a stroll on one of the more private beaches after breakfast. They held one another's hands as the warm water rolled up the beach, soaking the sand that their toes were sinking into. As soon as Nick saw a man walking his dog on the beach, he released the younger mans hands from his own and put at least five feet between them.

Greg watched the dog walker go by then turned back to Nick, stuffing his hands deep into his khaki short pockets in frustration as Nick could no longer look at him now that their world had been interrupted by someone else looking at them.

"Nick, you wonna go back to the hotel?" He suggested, trying to take his mind off his fears. "Or Pali Lookout, you said you wanted to go there when I showed you the book."

"No, I don't wonna go there today. What did you wonna do?" Nick queried, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"The Polynesian Cultural Center? We can stop at the buffet there for lunch. There's hands on activities, the tour and show. My parents used to make a whole day of it." The younger man suggested, trying to sell him on the idea to do anything _but_ avoid him for the rest of the day.

"No, we'll do that another day." He shook his head. "Let's go back to the hotel like you said."

"Are you..."

"I swear to god Greg, if you ask me if I'm okay again, I'm gonna thump you." The Texan suddenly snapped.

Greg just raised his hands and slowly backed away from him as if he was a suspect then turned around to head back to the hotel, feeling as though he was walking back alone as Nick was at least ten feet behind him the whole way.

Dropping onto the bed once they got back, Greg watched Nick walking across the other side of the room to take a seat over there before he removed his trainers, feeling as though he did something wrong from the way Nick was treating him.

"Nicky, what's wrong? If you wonna thump me, go ahead. It'll be the most attention you've given me all day." He remarked as he crawled on his knees to the end of the bed to look at him. "What did I do? It's only our second day here and you're avoiding me already."

"I'm not avoidin' you." Nick assured him as he held his head in his hands, looking down at the carpeting of the hotel room beneath him.

"Well I must be the village idiot then because I've never seen somebody crane their neck so much just to avoid direct eye contact with me." The younger man remarked as he folded his arms across his chest. "Talk to me Nicky, what did I do?"

"You didn't do anythin'. I just need some time to think."

Greg furrowed his brows with confusion. "About what?"

"About me!"

"Well talk to me, maybe I can help?" Greg suggested as he climbed off the bed to take a seat on the coffee table beside Nick. "You're obviously not gonna solve it on your own, because all you're doing is bottling. You can't just shove it deep down inside of you and deal with it later, so just talk to me." He tried to reason with him.

"I never realised how bossy you are." Nick smiled slightly as he lifted his head.

"I don't like being ignored."

"Attention seeker." He smirked, finally looking up into Greg's eyes. "It's nothin' to do with you Greg. I want to be here."

"Then talk to me." He complained, rolling his eyes. "What have you got to lose? Is this about the dream you had or something else you're not telling me? I swear if you don't tell me soon, you're gonna make me cry." Greg threatened, folding his arms across his chest.

Nick glanced up at him, trying to tell if he was serious or not, but with Greg, he could never tell. "Okay fine." Nick reluctantly gave in. "My Mama shot me because I was with you. Are yah happy now G?"

"But it was just a dream."

"But her feelin's about people like me aren't." Nick pointed out to him.

"You can't know that." Greg sighed softly. "How do you know your mother doesn't already know that you're, you? Mothers know their kids Nick; yours flew all the way over from Texas just to find out what she could do to help you. She was even willing to sell the freaking house out from under her feet just to make sure you got back safely."

Nick raised his eyebrows surprised as he looked up at Greg. "She never told me that."

"Well she was. She was ready to sell away everything in her life just to get you back. What would be the point if she was just going to disown you five minutes later because you're dating a man?" Greg asked him.

"Um... okay, point taken." He nodded to him as he scratched his hand through his hair as he thought it over. "But you can't know that either Greg. If she had paid the ransom for me, she'd still probably hate me for payin' her back like this."

"Oh my god, you're impossible Nicky!" Greg slapped both of his hands to his head in annoyance as he struggled to think of a better way to explain it to Nick. "Nick, you don't throw away your life savings for a kid you don't even care about. Maybe you should break the 'I'm gay' part to her first then somewhere down the line, if we're still together that is, you can tell her you have a boyfriend."

"You think we won't last?" Nick asked the younger man shocked.

"You may not... want me after you figure out there's better fish in the sea." Greg vulnerably spoke. "And guys usually don't stay with their firsts. They're just convenient for the experimental phase, like when you first discovered sex with your first girlfriend. Your more friends then you are lovers and you just wonna help each other through it."

"That's not what this is to me." Nick assured him as he reached out for Greg's hand, holding it tightly in his own. "This isn't just an experiment, I really want you."

Greg looked at him surprised as he suddenly climbed to his feet. "Where are you going?"

"I'm just..." Nick pointed off towards the door then knelt down in front of Greg. "I just need to go and clear my head, alone. I'll be back." He assured him then leant up to press his lips to Greg's cheek.

Greg watched him climbing to his feet then followed him with his eyes towards the door, wondering if that was just Nick's polite goodbye before he hightailed it back to Vegas.

Reaching for his cell phone once Nick was gone, Greg dialled his parents home number, hoping his dad would pick up instead of his mother as she would probably make him feel made for making Nick walk out on him. "_Hello?"_ His mother answered a few rings later. "_Gregory, is that you?"_

"Yeah." He sniffled, crashing into the chair Nick was once sat in. "I was just calling to check in."

"_Oh, I thought you'd be too busy during the day to call us with your new boyfriend and all. So, what have you two been up to today?"_

"Nothing much." Greg stared at the vacant bed across the room, feeling a vacant emptiness in his heart.

"_Is that code for you spent the whole day in bed together?"_

"No, actually I woke up alone. Had breakfast on the balcony alone then walked along the beach holding his hand for a few minutes before I walked back alone, and I'm now alone again." He reported, feeling as though his life hadn't changed at all.

"_What happened sweetheart, everything was going so well yesterday?"_

"That was yesterday. Maybe I made a mistake bringing him out here? Maybe he's not ready to have a relationship with me?" He suggested as he climbed to his feet and head over to the bed. "When is anyone ever gonna be ready to have a relationship with me though? Am I a repulsive person, you'd tell me if I was right?"

"_Honey, there is nothing repulsive about you. You can't go getting down on yourself. Nick clearly has issues of his own, who wouldn't after being buried alive?"_ While Jean attempted to start up her comforting mother talk, Greg crashed onto the bed, holding the phone against his ear as he listened to her words that had helped him through so many rejections and break ups over the years.

About an hour later, Greg finally hung up on his mother then threw his head back against the pillows beneath his head, knowing he should be more sympathetic towards the pent up cowboy who was just starting to discover his sexuality, but he was really starting to hurt him both physically and emotionally by the constant rejection.

Scrambling off the bed, Greg grabbed his sneakers off the floor and tied the laces back up before he climbed to his feet. He grabbed one of the sets of keys to their room then quickly head out the door, not wanting to say something he might regret to Nick when he got back, and he didn't want to hear any more hurtful comments from Nick's mouth either, so he decided to clear his head for himself with a little...

"Dirty Martini." Greg ordered, dropping heavily into one of the stools around the bar. The bar tender looked at his watch then up into the young man's eyes. "So shoot me. I'm on vacation." He pointed out to him as it was only eleven thirty am.

"Coming right up." The bar tender mixed his drink for him then watched the younger man tipping it back before he ordered the same again. "Pardon me for prying, but aren't you supposed to have fun on vacation?"

"Oh yeah." Greg nodded then tapped his empty glass. "I plan on having lots of fun."

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed that chapter.**

**Hopefully you guessed that the first part was a dream sequence after you read about the 'condo' when in fact Nick has a town house. The shinny disco balls and tiger skin bed covers were also a part of Nick's mind, something he would consider the stereotypical gay man to have in his house. I tried to make it subtle weirdness to see how many of you could figure out that he was in fact dreaming :D**

**Hope you liked it. Thanks for reading, please review!**

**~ Holly**


	18. Chapter 17: Don't Ever Change

**Chapter Seventeen: Don't Ever Change**

Anxiously waiting around the hotel room as Greg had been gone for just over six hours now, Nick really started to worry that maybe he had pushed Greg too far this time and he had just left without warning. He would have called his cell to find out where he was, but he knew for a fact that he had left it behind as Jean had already called it five times, desperately trying to get in contact with him as he was meant to call in the morning every day.

Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, Nick held his head in his hands as he anxiously fidgeted his legs, wondering if he should go and look for Greg again to see if he was okay and make sure that he hadn't jumped off Diamond Head or something. He had already been out to look for him twice, but he couldn't find him anywhere.

The more Nick thought about it the more he worried, fearing he had committed suicide or worse.

Suddenly, the front door to the hotel creaked open. Quickly scrambling to his feet off the bed, Nick hustled straight off into the entrance lobby of their hotel room, arriving just in time to watch Greg falling through the door, only holding himself upright by his grip on the door handle.

"Greg?" Making his way over to the younger man, Nick could smell the alcohol coming off him in waves. "Have you been drinkin'?"

"I needed the release." He slurred, forcing his body weight backwards so he could close the door. "Plus there was this real nice guy... Larry." Greg squinted his eyes together. "Or maybe it was Harvey." Greg let out a drunken giggle, shaking head towards Nick. "It's was Jack, I remember now. He had a goat teeeee."

"You let a guy buy you drinks?"

"Yeah, he was... the eh..." Snapping his fingers together, Greg desperately tried to think. "Bartender. That's it. Jack the bartender. He has seven kids, seven kids! Two of them are in college, and Macey is his middle child. You know the... the..."

"The horse girl?" Nick asked the loopy Greg.

"Yeah, the horse girl." He laughed again then dropped his keys on the floor as he drunkenly stumbled forwards. "What are you still doing here? I thought you'd be halfway to Vegasss by now." Removing his jacket, Greg tried as hard as he could to reach up for the coat hanger but the jacket slid down the wall and dropped to a pile on the floor.

After watching the younger man dizzily retrieving his jacket off the floor and attempting to hang it up a few more times, Nick decided to point out his mistake to him. "Eh G... it's the other side." Pointing the opposite side of the wall Greg was trying to hang it on, Nick watched Greg scrunching up his face in annoyance as he realised the coat hangers were in fact on the other side.

"Damn." Greg decided to drop the jacket on the floor behind him as he head off towards the bedroom area.

"Greg, can you talk to me please?" Hurrying after Greg, Nick caught up to him just as he flopped onto bed then lazily rolled onto his back.

"Hey, did you ever smoke smot?" Greg randomly asked as he stared up at the sea shells decorating the ceiling above him. "Oh wow, it looks like a rainbow."

"Smoke smot, you mean pot? Did the bartender give you pot?" Nick asked the drunken man who was still pointing out the pretty shells on his ceiling. "Greg, did you do drugs?"

"No." He giggled. "My boyfriend sold me for pot once." Rolling his head the other side, Greg squinted his brows together as he looked up into Nick's eyes. "I once thought that you had the deepest... most... soul fullest eyes I ever saw." Letting out a long drawn out sigh, Greg shook his head before he muttered, "Now I realise they're just... black holes of nothing."

"Greg, I didn't mean to hurt you. I don't even know what I did."

"You never do Nick!" He shouted, dropping his hand to his forehead. "Ew, I just spat." Rubbing the spit from his cheek, Greg giggled again then relaxed back against the bed, feeling the room spinning inside of his head. "The rooms spinning like a tumble dryer."

"I've never seen you this drunk before G." The Texan spoke softly as he took a seat on the bed beside him. "Did you do this because you were upset with me?"

"No. Not everything's about you. Did you ever think that maybe I have feelings too?" The emotional drunk asked him. "I've loved you for years. From the very moment I laid eyes on you in fact. I still loved you through the ssstupid match box search that hurt my eyes, not to mention a wasted moments my precious of time. But you called me 'Doll'."

"You remember that?"

"I remember everything. Even running victimsss courses in my car. The evil pranks you and Warrick played on me... and the public humiliation of being known as the CSI Wannabe, thanks to Nicholas Stokes." He drunkenly rambled, slurring his words.

"I only said that to one person."

"It was the wrong person." Greg scowled up at him. "I thought we were friends, but no one respects me less than you. Even now... I'm just the... disgusting queer with the nutty family. Run while you can Nicky, I might infect you too."

"You're a very emotional drunk Greg."

"And you're an asshole, but nobody's perfect." The younger man mumbled as he crawled further back on the bed on his elbows. "Ow, my head hurts."

"Greg, I don't think you're a disgustin' queer or anythin' like that." Nick assured him.

"You think I'm weird."

"Only in the usual Greg Sanders way, but I love that about you." Watching Greg struggling to his feet again, Nick felt as though he should follow him in case he jumped over the railing of the balcony or something.

Instead, Greg grabbed the bowl of strawberries that had been sat on the cart for a few hours now and dropped down onto one of the seats, muttering something to himself before he gave out a drunken chuckle and stuffed the strawberry into his mouth.

"Do we have any chocolate?" He asked as he held one of the strawberries in his palm.

"Um... no, not here." Nick shook his head.

"Why are you even here, Nick?" He moaned as he saw him above him. "You don't even like me anyway. And people who don't like other people like you... just suck." Licking the strawberry from the corners of his mouth, Greg suddenly grinned. "You know... they should make that into a song."

"Greg, maybe you should go to bed." Nick suggested.

"Not with you." Greg muttered as he threw his dizzy head back against the chair. "Ow, why can't I just pass out?"

"That's what I'm sayin' G, maybe you should go to bed. You'll feel better after some sleep."

"You know my dad asked me once why I always date assholes who only end up breaking my heart, my answer to him was that the assholes... these strawberries are sweet." Offering one to the guy he was just yelling at, Greg rolled his eyes as Nick shook his head then continued with his trail of thought, "I told him that assholes are the only ones who take notice of me. But when I told him about you, I assured him that you weren't an asshole... but I was wrong. You're the biggest asshole of them all because you pretend to care and you only push me away every time we hic... we get close hic..." Greg hiccupped before he stuffed another warm strawberry into his mouth. "God I feel hic... sick."

"Stop eatin' those then." Nick pried the bowl from the emotional drunk's hands and set it back down on the cart. "Honey, we should get you into bed. You hardly had anythin' to eat all day and god knows how much you've drank."

"It feels hic... good going hic... down." Snorting with laughter, Greg shook his head up at him. "At least I'm not hic... I'm not fat." He finished.

Nick frowned slightly then reached out for Greg's arms to help him up. "C'mon loopy, I'm gettin' you off to bed."

"I don't hic... don't wonna go to bed." He protested. "Why does every hic... every hic... everyone always abandon me? Do I cling hic... is that it?" Greg pulled against Nick to remain seated, but his drunken strength was no match for the Texan. "Wow, you're strong. Do you wonna hic... buy me a hic... drink?"

"No, no more drinkin'." Nick sternly warned him as he dragged him off towards the bedroom.

"I hate hic... hate hiccups." Greg moaned, holding his chest as he tried to hold in the next hiccup. "You really hic... suck as a friend, you hic... you know that?" Falling back onto the bed, Greg held his stomach as he was ready to blow chunks. "You're an even lousy hic... lousier boyfriend. I should date women hic... more often, at least they don't think hic... think with their plumbing. I can learn to like hic... women; it's all abo-hic... about the breasts, right?"

"You don't like women. Try holdin' your breath." He instructed as Greg was still suffering. Removing Greg's shoes for him, Nick set them down beside the bed then took a seat on the mattress beside him. "You can't force yourself to like somethin' you don't Greg, believe me, I've been tryin' to do that for years." He pointed out to him. "Don't forget to breathe out again."

"So bang a guy already." Greg complained as he released his breath, throwing his arms up in annoyance in the process. Greg eventually dropped them heavily to the bed then curled up his legs beside him. "You can even do me hic... I'm drunk enough. At least have the decency to put on a condom though, for my mother's sake. She wouldn't want me catch hic... catching whatever you got from those whores you bang hic... constantly." He drunkenly laughed then hiccupped, making him laugh even more.

"I'm not havin' sex with you Greg."

"Of course, because then there would be one other person besides my mother who actually cares about me." Greg moaned as he rolled over onto his stomach, burying his head into the covers as he whimpered, "I'm so alone."

"You're not alone; I'm here for you Greg. I care about you a lot." He spoke softly.

"You don't."

"Yes I do." Nick argued with him. "You can't tell me what I do or don't feel."

"You don't, not enough. And that doesn't even make any sense." Greg rubbed his eyes then beamed a wide smile up at Nick as he realised something. "Hey, my hiccups are gone."

Nick slapped himself in the head for arguing with the emotional drunk who was talking about all sorts of different things during his drunken ramble. "Just go to sleep Greg, you'll feel better when you wake up."

"I can't sleep with the lights on." He complained, holding his hands over his head.

"That lights the sun." Nick pointed out to him then scrambled off the bed to close the blinds on the windows and pull the curtains across from the balcony doors. "There, is that better?" He asked as he made his way back to the bed.

Rolling over onto his back, Greg groggily rubbed his eyes open then noticed something above his head, "Wow... I can see my fingers." Raising his hand above his head in amazement, Greg slowly began flexing his fingers then turned his head towards Nick. "They have this chocolate cake down in the bar that is to die for. It's like brownies or something; it has this weird buzz to it."

Nick rolled his eyes at him, knowing he could get fired if anyone from the lab found out he did drugs. "Just go to sleep Greg."

"If you do care about me, then why are you so concerned about your mother? You know how _us_ gays aren't allowed to say husband or wife, but we can say life partner. If you love me then technically I'm your life partner. I don't see that title printed anywhere on your mother's name."

Nick smiled softly to him then shook his head. "Close your eyes Greg, we'll talk about it when you wake up sober."

"This is like a twilight zone," Greg sang the theme tune then turned round to look at Nick. "I lost contact with my last boyfriend; he could have had plastic surgery and turned into you though. He treated me exactly the same in the beginning then he let me down, just like you are now. I'm such a horrible person!" Covering his hands over his eyes, Greg gave out a loud guttural moan. "I always fall for too straight gays! Where's the stereotypical gay when yah need one?"

Nick decided to ignore him, hoping he would eventually get tired and fall asleep so he could talk with the much more rational Greg once he was well rested, but Greg's ramblings continued.

"Maybe I can still be with guys, you're right. I can get plastic surgery." Sliding his hands down his flat chest, Greg thought about the transformation he could undergo, "C cups breasts, innie instead of an outtie down there, no one will ever know. I can still date the guys I like, but they won't have to freak out over the fact that I'm a guy. I can pass a woman, right?"

"No." Nick cringed at the thought of Greg becoming a woman.

"You're right; I should go for D cups it'll disguise my broad shoulders more." Greg stared up at Nick wide eyed as he had a sudden idea. "You're an ass man right? You can get cheek implants for your butt now. And we both know my ass is practically nonexistent because I've seen you staring. You could come with me to make you into your ideal woman then I'll still be me, but I'll have the body you desire."

"Greg, that's crazy. First of all, I don't even like breasts, and you're way too gorgeous to ever go under the knife. And second of all, you love your penis." Nick pointed out to him, unable to suppress his silence any longer. "Just go to sleep, we'll talk about this when you're not so... drunk."

Greg slid his hands down his flat chest then raised one eyebrow as he looked round at Nick. "Shit, you're right. I'd be too much of a drag queen." Bursting into a sudden giggle, Greg shook his head to himself. "I'm already a drama queen, can't be a drag queen too. Guys like you don't sleep with drag queens."

"You're bein' ridiculous." Nick assured him, holding back the emotion in his voice as he climbed off the bed. "You're perfect, just the way you are."

Greg watched him climbing to his feet open mouthed, feeling his heart fluttering inside of his chest as Nick slowly walked away. "Wait Nicky, don't go!" Sitting up straight, Greg held his head as the blood started to rush to it. "Ow, that hurt." Rubbing his head, Greg scrunched up his face as he felt the pain rushing through his head. "You think I'm perfect?"

Nick covered his hands over his eyes to hide his tears from Greg as he gave him a slight nod. "Yes, I think you're perfect, now can you please just go to sleep?"

Greg leant back on his elbows as the older man head off towards the balcony doors, "Wait Nicky, don't go anywhere... okay?"

"Yeah, okay." Nick took a seat on the chair across the room from the bed and held his head his hands as he tried to block out everything Greg had just said. He couldn't believe that Greg was the one thinking he was such a horrible person when really Nick felt as though he was the horrible one because he had made his best friend feel this way.

Greg slowly dropped back onto the bed behind him and let his eyelids fall shut over his sleepy eyes, succumbing to the much needed sleep that completely overwhelmed him within seconds.

* * *

Opening his eyes a few hours later, Greg felt his head pounding as the evening sun poured in through the window. Greg rolled his head to the other side, widening his eyes as he saw Nick's packed suitcase stood across the room. "Nicky?" He groggily called out to him as he struggled to a sitting position. "Nicky?"

"Right here G." Nick appeared from the bathroom, slowly making his way over to Greg on the bed. "How you feelin' bud?"

"What's with the luggage?" Greg pointed across the room, ignoring the pounding headache that was just starting up inside of his head.

Nick shamefully looked down as he knelt down in front of Greg. "Comin' here was a mistake Greg." He sheepishly answered. "I don't wonna ruin the friendship we have."

"You will if you just walk out on me before we've even tried." Greg snapped at him, fearing he was going to lose him forever. "You can't just leave me here alone. If you do that then you really are just an asshole."

"Greg." He whined in complaint. "This isn't easy for me. I don't want to leave you. I want to stay here and be with you."

"Then why don't you?" Sliding off the bed, Greg dropped to his knees in front of Nick so that they were eye level. "What's stopping you from staying here with me? Just tell me so I can understand. Please, don't fuck me like this, Nick!" He pleaded him. "You're supposed to be my best friend."

Nick finally looked up into Greg's eyes as his lower lip started to quiver and tears began to leak from his eyes, scoring their way down his cheeks. "Because I love you . . . and I'm afraid to hurt you." He confessed before he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "I'm not protectin' myself this time . . . I'm protectin' you."

"You don't have to protect me from you. Why does everyone always insist on protecting me from things?" He asked him as he wrapped his arms around his shoulders to keep him with him.

"Greg, you shoulda heard yourself earlier. I make you feel like a loser. You were even considerin' plastic surgery to become a woman to make me more comfortable with you. I don't wonna make you feel like that. I hate myself for makin' you feel that way. I don't deserve you." Placing his hands on Greg's lower back, Nick leant forwards to press his lips to his forehead. "You _are_ my best friend. I love you more than anythin', that's why I don't wonna hurt you."

"You're gonna hurt me more the second you walk out on me." Greg clenched his teeth into his lower lip to stop it from quivering. "Can't you at least give us a try and hurt me somewhere down the line where it will be easier to heal with lots of booze and possibly some drugs."

Nick gave him a wide smile as he looked deep into his eyes. "Greg, you said it yourself. I'm an asshole."

"An asshole that I love. You only live once Nicky. Isn't that the whole point in coming to Hawaii? You wonna do everything you regret, doesn't that include me?" Gazing into the Texan's eyes, Greg waited in suspense for the Texan to answer him. "You said that half the things on your list were about me. Was one of them breaking my heart?" Greg vulnerably asked. "Just tell me that you feel nothing for me then I'll let you go. Tell me that we've got no shot in hell at surviving as a couple and I'll let you walk out of here with no arguments."

Inhaling a deep breath, Nick smiled softly then gently tugged Greg's body closer against him. "I do love you, I just don't wonna hurt you." He spoke softly against his neck, clutching him tightly. "I never want to make you feel like that . . . and did you really just say that you love me?" He asked shocked as he pulled back from him.

"Yes." Greg nodded, giving him a quizzical look. "That's okay, right?"

"Yeah actually," Nick copied Greg's nod then slid his hands down south towards Greg's hips. "No one's ever said they love me before, except my Mama of course."

"Well I love you a lot. Not just the platonic love either, in the every way kinda love." Greg assured him as he moved closer towards him so their bodies were pressed against one another. "Please don't leave me. I love you Nicky. I'm a grown man, I can make decisions on my own, and I want you in my life, with me here. I mean c'mon, you know me better than anyone. I talk a lot, and when I'm drunk I talk even more. I don't know half of what I'm saying, but I don't mean it, because I want you here."

Nick felt Greg's breathing hitching in his chest as he struggled not to cry. He could feel his quivering arms tightening around his body and he could feel his heart beat pounding against him, the very heart he was about to break if he walked out that door and head back to Vegas like he had planned while Greg was asleep.

"Please Nicky, stay with me." He vulnerably whispered. "At least give us the chance to fail before you decide for us."

"Okay." Nick smiled softly as he moved closer against Greg, bringing their warm lips together. "I don't think I _could_ physically leave you after that." Gently wiping his hands across the younger mans cheeks, Nick removed the tears from his face that he had caused. "You really love me?" Greg nodded his head, afraid to speak as he could still feel his lower lip quivering from the emotion building up inside of him. "Well I must freakin' love you too. I called you honey and I'm sayin' things to you that I wouldn't normally say."

"Like I'm perfect, just the way I am?" Greg softly spoke, giving Nick a slight smile as he remembered it. "I think you really must."

"I went lookin' everywhere for you, but I never woulda guessed you woulda gone to a bar." Climbing to his feet, Nick lifted Greg up with him, sitting him down on the bed behind him. "You didn't really do drugs did you?"

Greg looked at him curiously then shook his head. "Not that I know of." As Nick slowly leant forwards to ignite another kiss, Greg rushed to cover his hand over his mouth. "Wait, wait." He abruptly stopped him, feeling his stomach churning. "Nicky, don't take this the wrong way, but I'm gonna throw up."

"Oh right." Nick carefully moved back from Greg then helped him to his feet. "You want some help?"

"Nuh uh." He shook his head, hurrying off towards the bathroom.

"Hey Greg, once you're done... did you wonna get somethin' to eat?" Nick suggested as he hadn't had much to eat today and he didn't want to get in trouble with Jean for not looking after her baby properly.

"Okay, anything but strawberries!" Greg called out to him once he was done purging. "And don't worry, I'll brush my teeth." Greg smiled as he appeared in the doorway. "So, are we good, you're not leaving me?"

"Nope." Nick shook his head then took a seat back on the bed, directing a wide smile his way. "You couldn't get rid of me if you tried."

Greg sighed in relief then head back into the bathroom to freshen up, chucking back two aspirin to settle the slight migraine from the headache he had coming on.

"Hey." Nick smiled as Greg finally emerged from the bathroom again. "Greg, you should never change who you are to get somebody to love you."

"My dad used to say the same thing." Greg smiled back as he took a few more steps into the room towards Nick. "I've never really believed it, because no one's ever like me the way I am, let alone loved me."

"Well it's true. If they don't love you the way you are then they don't deserve you." Cupping Greg's chin in one hand, Nick gave him a soft smile then pressed their together for a slow tender kiss. "I love you, just the way you are. Don't ever change."

"I promise." Throwing his arms around Nick's neck, Greg clutched him tightly as he looked across the room at the suitcase stood at the end of the bed. He never wanted to wake up and find out that Nick was going to leave him again; it was too painful to bear.

* * *

**A little emotion from the both of them there. I hope you enjoyed that chapter. Thanks for all of your reviews on the last chapter, don't forget to review this one if you liked it!**

**~ Holly**


	19. Chapter 18: As One

**Chapter Eighteen: As One**

Nick and Greg affectionately held one another's hands as they strolled along the beach under the soft glow of the sun setting in the distance, heading back towards their hotel after a romantic meal for two in an expensive seafood restaurant. Nick tugged against Greg as he stopped a moment to admire the sun setting in the distance. Greg took a step back to stand beside him then shyly smiled as Nick turned him in his arms to look him in the eye.

Caressing the younger mans soft cheek with his thumb; Nick smiled as he slowly leant closer towards him, pressing his moist warm lips against Greg's for a tender soft kiss. As Greg snaked his arms around his neck, Nick deepened his kiss, tasting all the forbidden corners of Greg's luscious mouth. Their tongues met in their mouths as the sparks of love pushed them closer against one another as if there was a magnet in each of their hearts that merged them together as one.

It was only their fifth day in Hawaii, but already, neither one of them could deny the longing feeling that was constantly growing inside of them. But unlike Greg, Nick wanted that feeling inside of him to continue to grow as he had never given it the chance to. He just always took what he wanted whenever he wanted it. But now he wanted to wait, he wanted to feel the love inside of him and his yearn for Greg to grow even more.

* * *

Stretching out like a cat across the bed as the morning sunshine filtered in through the blinds across the room, Greg pried his eyes open as he smelt something in the room then smiled as he saw Nick sat beside him holding a breakfast feast tray. "I wish I could wake up to this every morning." The younger man grinned then sat up straight to receive the warm loving kissing from his boyfriend's lips that he had been receiving every morning of their vacation so far.

"Me or the breakfast in bed?" Nick inquired as he pulled back from his lips.

"Both actually." Greg snickered then straightened his legs so Nick could set the tray down on his lap. "Strawberries, waffles and cream. Mmm, you do know how to spoil me, Tex." Lifting one of the cream covered strawberries, Greg hand fed half to his romantic boyfriend, smiling as it had left cream across upper lip. Greg gladly leant forwards, capturing his lips in a kiss so he could lick it off.

Nick laughed as he pulled back, wiping the rest off his lip with his fingertip. "When you do that, it's harder for me to resist you, G."

"Why would you want to resist me?" Greg grinned up at him before he slipped the second half of the strawberry into his own mouth. "You've got me all to yourself for another week and a half, why would you wonna waste it?"

"You think that this... you and me thing won't last past this vacation?" Nick asked him surprised. "Greg, I'm not lookin' for a vacation fling. I want a boyfriend. A real boyfriend. When we get back to Vegas, I still want you to be my boyfriend. We'll have to find a way to make it work around our jobs and things, but I think we can do it." He assured him as he laced their fingers together. "You do wonna do this with me, doncha?"

Greg nodded his head, licking the cream from his other hand. "I've always wanted a boyfriend, especially you." He assured him as he graced him with one of his adorable smiles. "And just so you know, I'll be totally okay with keeping our relationship on the down low from everyone at work."

"After our two weeks away together, I think everyone at the lab will pretty much know about us." Nick smirked as he watched Greg shovelling a fork full of waffles into his mouth.

"That doesn't bother you?" Greg asked as he gave him a curious look while tilting his head to the side with the cutest little grin across his lips.

"Should it?" Releasing his grip on Greg's hand, Nick carefully climbed over the younger man's legs to sit on the bed beside him. "I'm really sorry about the other day when I made you feel like crap." He apologised again. "By constantly worryin' that people are gonna find out and judge me, I ended up only hurtin' you and almost destroyin' the first good relationship I've had in... well, my whole life." He smirked then picked up one of the strawberries from Greg's plate, feeding it to the younger man to do the same as he had done to him before he continued, "My sister Gwen, she married this guy that everyone hated. He was a Highschool dropout. Got more ass than a toilet seat, and he spent half of his time at our house out by the front porch, smokin' cigarettes."

"And you're comparing me to that?"

"No." Nick chuckled softly at the younger man's reaction. "I was tryin' to explain somethin' to you. Gwen married Darren no matter what any of us said to her. Darren supported her through her pregnancies; got a good job that paid well and he really did care about her. My point is, when you're in love, you shouldn't care what other people think, because you're the one in love with them. My Mama hates my father's family, but she loves him and she's stuck by him, despite what his family had said about her." Nick explained to him then gazed deeply into his partner's eyes, giving him a wide smile. "I love you, Greg. And I don't really care what anyone else thinks of the two of us bein' together. You're mine. I'm the one that loves you, and my thoughts are the only ones I should be listenin' to."

Licking his lips, Greg beamed a wide smile at him, feeling those familiar butterflies fluttering around inside of his stomach. "That's exactly what I've been trying to tell you, Tex. But I'm glad you figured it out on your own."

"Actually, your tears led me to the conclusion." Nick corrected as he snaked his arm around the younger man's shoulders, resting their heads together. "I never wonna hurt you again. We're gonna have to deal with all of these people that judge us for the rest of our lives together. We shouldn't be the ones judgin'. So now, I officially don't care what anyone else thinks, but you."

"Really?" Greg smiled round at him, excited about his new found power. "Well, I think that right now, you should kiss me." The older man smiled back at him then complied with the action, tasting the waffles right of Greg's tongue as he kissed him deeper. "Mmm, yummy." Greg beamed an even wider grin at him as he pulled back. "So, now that you only care what I think and no one else... can I at least see _some_ of things on your list?"

"My list?" Nick gave him a deep thoughtful look then slowly reached into his back pocket for his list of things he wanted to achieve before he died. "Some of them are pretty lame; whatever they were givin' me in the hospital seemed to influence half of them."

"Just read me a few of them then, you can keep the lame ones to yourself."

Nick smiled at him then scanned down the list in his hands, trying to figure out which ones were the best ones to tell him. "Well, I've always wanted to surf..."

"I surf."

Nick frowned at him, giving out a soft chuckle. "You live in Vegas."

"So, doesn't mean I don't surf." Gulping down another mouthful of waffles, Greg reached for the visitor's pamphlet he had collected from the beach when they took a midnight stroll. "They have surfing here, I can teach you or you can get a professional instructor."

"I think I'd prefer you." Nick smirked as he caught sight of one of the brawny surfer boys in the pamphlet. "Okay, some of the lamer ones are... stand up for myself in front of my family, see more of Vegas in the day time, dance with you... have a long lastin' relationship... oh and canoeing. My sister Gwen went to camp when she was kid, and she had the greatest time going canoeing down these rapid waves. I've always wanted to do it."

"I've never been canoeing." Greg admitted. "I once sat in a boat that capsized with the eagle scouts. This kid got sick as the life boat kinda thing was bouncing all over the place; he hurled over the side and capsized our boat." Greg giggled softly.

"Oh nice." Nick laughed back at him.

"Did you say you wanted to dance with me?" Greg suddenly asked as he realised what Nick had slipped in between two of his wants.

"Oh, yeah." Nick nodded his head, nervously admitting, "I love dancin'... it's one of my favourite things to do."

"Okay." Greg grinned at him. "Just as long as you don't change your mind about dating me after you've seen me dance."

"Never." Nick shook his head at him as he looked back at the list in his hands to read off another. "And..." Nick was about to read out the next one, but he stopped himself before it passed his lips.

"What?" Greg queried.

"It's kinda stupid, and I feel as though I already have." Crinkling the edges of the paper from his nervousness, Nick slowly lifted his eyes to meet Greg's, deciding to tell him anyway as he knew he could trust him not to laugh in his face. "I wonna fall in love . . . helplessly and unconditionally in love." The sentimental cowboy spoke in a soft whisper. "I've never felt it before... but I can feel it with you. I can tell it's real because I've never felt anythin' like it in my life."

Smiling softly, Greg gulped down his next mouthful then leant forwards, gently cupping Nick's cheek in his palm as he whispered, "You're adorable, you know that?" then ignited a passionate kiss to his lover's lips.

After breakfast in bed, Greg showered and got dressed then crashed onto the bed while Nick got himself ready too. As soon as Nick returned with his hair impeccably styled and his perfectly pressed shirt and pants, Greg held up all the different leaflets, tilting his head to the side as he looked up at Nick. "So, what did you wonna do first today, Nicky?"

"Um... I don't know," Nick pressed a kiss to his forehead then took a seat on the chair across the room to put his boots on. "Didn't you wonna hike up to Diamond Head today?"

Greg gave him a nod as he rifled through the leaflets, selecting the right one to read from. "To gain perspective on Oahu's geology and geography, grab your hiking shoes and flashlight to take an early morning hike to the top of Diamond Head," Greg started to read. "Diamond Head is a seven hundred and sixty foot extinct volcano tuff cone and national landmark. Once at the top, you'll enjoy a panoramic view that extends over half the island." Nick chuckled softly as he looked over at Greg sprawled out on the bed on his stomach with the visitors information pamphlet in his hands, excitedly relaying the details of the landmark Diamond Head to him. "What?" The younger man queried.

"Nothin'." Nick shook his head at him while he beamed a wide smile across the room at him. "I was just thinkin' of you walkin' a seven hundred and sixty foot trail." He smirked as he climbed to his feet, slowly making his way over to the bed. "You sure you wonna do this today?"

"Yep." Greg beamed a wide smile back at him as he rolled over onto his back. "Then I can teach you how to surf tomorrow. If you still wanted to, that is."

"Yeah, it's on my list." Lowering himself to the bed beside Greg, Nick felt his stomach bubbling with nerves as he lay down beside Greg, gently placing his hand on the younger man's stomach as he looked him in the eye. "I'm not wearin' one of those stupid suits though."

"Ah... you take all the fun out of it." Greg giggled softly, feeling Nick's hands shaking against him. "So, when did you wonna go on this walk? It's usually really busy in the early hours, so if you wanted it to be quiet... just the two of us, we can go later." He suggested.

Nick nodded down at him as he gently brushed his fingers from his other hand through Greg's dishevelled spikes of hair. "That'll be a good idea; it's open from six till six, right?" Greg nodded up at him, smiling softly as Nick's hand slid towards his hip. "So we got time." He rasped against the younger man's ear as he leant closer towards him.

"Yeah, what did you wonna do to pass the time?" Greg shivered as Nick's lips touched the sensitive skin beneath his ear. "Mmmm, I love it when you do that."

Nick smiled widely as the younger man started to whimper softly from his heavenly touch. "I love that you tell me what you like." Nick chuckled softly as he gravitated his body closer towards Greg's. "It makes it so much easier and less nerve wrackin'."

"Good." Greg raised his arms to circle Nick's neck as the older man straddled his thighs, blanketing his boyfriend's warm body with his own. "You're gonna mess up your shirt, Tex." Greg giggled as he smoothed his fingers through Nick's soft hair, enjoying the soft kisses trailing down his neck towards his shoulder.

Before things got too heated though, Nick pulled back, stealing one last kiss from Greg's lips before he climbed off the bed.

"You're such a tease, Nicky." Tugging his t-shirt back down his chest, Greg giggled softly as he sat up straight on the bed. "So, what did you wonna do today? Once you're done tormenting me that is."

"I wasn't tormentin'." Nick assured him as he cleared away the things from their breakfast. "C'mon, let's go."

"Go? Go where?" Before Greg could complain about not knowing where they were going, Nick tugged him to his feet and dragged him off towards the door by his hand. Greg just managed to pull his sneakers on, unable to tie the laces as Nick tugged him out of the hotel room, heading straight down the stairs towards the lobby. "Nicky, where are we going?"

"I don't know, we're gonna wing it." Nick handed the valet his ticket then waited for their rental car to arrive.

Greg furrowed his brows together as he looked round at him, "Wing it?"

"Yeah, I've always made plans from the college I wanted to go to, to the shirt I wear every mornin'. So, let's have a whole day without plans." He suggested then pulled open the passenger side door as the car arrived for Greg to climb in.

"You're nuts, you know that?" Greg smirked. "But I trust you." Agreeing to the plan of making no plans for a whole day, Greg climbed into the car and pulled his seatbelt on while Nick closed his door then ran round to the others side to climb into the driver's seat.

After some adjustments to his seat as the valet had moved it to accommodate his lanky height, Nick put the top of the soft top convertible down to soak up some rays then put his sunglasses on before he pulled away from the hotel. They spent the morning driving around the city, browsing round the shops then stopped at a few beaches for some beach combing, making them feel like kids again as they collected sea shells from all the different beaches they visited before they stopped for lunch and ice cream at one of the smaller restaurants by the beach.

Nick bought Greg a second ice cream on the next beach they strolled onto before they found a private spot on the beach to sit and relax. It was by far the best whole day date either of them had ever had, and it wasn't over yet.

Just as the sun started to set, they decided to go on their hike before dinner.

Walking up the trail leading up towards Diamond Head, Nick looked around at the clear blue sky above him then turned his head to look at the tall trees the other side of him. The large mountain tops towered around them, but the red sun was easily peeking through, lighting up their course to the top.

Turning around to see how far Greg had got, Nick smiled as he saw Greg holding his phone in the air struggling to get a signal. "Can you hear me now?" He practically shouted into the phone. "I said, can you hear me now?" Letting out a sigh of annoyance, Greg snapped his phone shut then stuffed it into his pocket. "Why does she always call me at the most inconvenient times? I told her earlier that we going up here with you."

"You're gonna get even more out of breath if you keep yammering down the phone to your mom anyway, G." Nick smirked then reached out his hand to Greg, waiting for him to catch up. "Don't worry, G. She can live without you for at least an hour." He assured him as he took hold of his hand in his own, affectionately holding it at his side as he started walking again.

"In an hour she'll be calling all the hospitals." Greg smirked as he fanned his t-shirt across his chest from the heat. "We haven't seen any people in ages now." He suddenly noticed as the last people they saw were heading back down the other way. "And we're near the tunnel going through the crater wall." Greg pointed just ahead of them.

"And you haven't complained once that you're tired." Nick snickered as he pulled Greg closer, touching a kiss to his forehead. "This is probably the best date I've ever been on." He admitted to him.

"And that's the only kiss I get?" Greg complained. "It's been three hours since our..."

"I'm savin' the best for the top." Nick interrupted him, giving him a wide smile before he turned back for the path. They soon reached the tunnel leading through crater wall, having to separate from one another's side as the tunnel was a lot narrower than the path they had been previously walking up.

Nick took the lead, holding Greg's hand behind him as they slowly made their way through it. He clutched Greg's hand tighter as it got darker the deeper they got. Greg had told him at the bottom that he didn't have to go through it if he didn't want to because it was very narrow and dark that could remind him of the coffin, but Nick really wanted to reach the top, so he pushed himself through it, clutching the metal railing beside him with one hand and Greg's hand with the other to keep himself stable.

As they turned the corner towards the middle, the tunnel opened up into the light again so Nick could relinquish some of his grip on the younger man's hand. Letting out the breath he didn't realise that he was holding, Nick tugged Greg closer as they reached the outside, taking a moment to let the fresh air back into his lungs.

He was glad that Greg didn't ask him if he was okay as he didn't want to appear weak in front of him, and he just needed a moment to himself to breath.

Turning the corner again once they made it out, Nick looked at the large concrete structures around him then led the way out towards the mountain top where an old couple were stood holding a video camera each as they looked down at the scenery of the island laid out before their very eyes.

Behind him, Nick could see a staircase with a restricted access sign posted across it. There was also a bench to one side, probably used for a rest stop as they were about halfway to the top now. "The next parts the hardest, my dad had to carry me on his shoulders when we reached it. When I was a kid that is." Greg snickered as he pointed off towards the giant staircase.

"Well I'm not carryin' you." Nick warned him, giving him a wide smile as Greg pouted round at him. "What, you're old enough to walk yourself." He laughed, allowing Greg to reach the stairs first.

"You just want me to go first so you can stare at my behind." Greg teased him.

"I am an ass man." Nick winked at him, taking his first glance as Greg stepped up onto the first step. "And who can blame me when the view is this... spectacular."

"Hopefully you are talking about that view." Greg pointed to the scenery behind him as he turned around to face it. The look on Nick's face said it all though. "You know, you can't keep flirting with me if you're never gonna follow through, Nicky."

"I do follow through... just not a hundred percent the way you want me to, because I wonna take my time with you." Nick assured him. "I love you and I wonna make it last."

"I know, just you're not the only one who's pent up here, Tex." Greg winked at him then turned back for the stairs, beginning to feel the strain on his legs as he had been walking for so long. The stairs eventually opened up to a man made concrete tunnel at the top. Greg waited for Nick to join him before he led the way through, holding Nick's hand behind his back this time to keep him grounded. "Once we get back to Vegas, I'm striking hiking off the things to do list." Greg complained as they reached the winding set of stairs. "I'm serious, no more dates that involve hiking. We'll do more girly things."

"What, like gettin' our nails done and goin' to couples massages?" Nick joked, holding both sides of the railing as he followed Greg up the stairs.

"Now that I like the sound of. Not the nails thing obviously coz mine never grow anyway, but the massages, I could definitely swing." Greg smiled round at him, panting deep breaths as he reached the top of the stairs that opened out to reveal the other side of the mountain.

Nick stepped up beside him, shielding his eyes from the bright sunshine as he looked out at the clear blue ocean ahead of them. "Wow." He gasped as he could see a tall white lighthouse in the distance, thousands of trees covering the island and the red sun was just beginning to set against the horizon. "I can't believe you never told me about this before."

"There's lots of things I never told you before." Greg smiled round at him.

"Oh yeah, like what?"

"For example...?" Greg pursed his lips together as he tried to think of one. "I don't know... like the fact I liked you. I never really told you that... not in so many words anyway." He pointed out to him as he reached for his hand, leading him round the other side of the cliff side to see the rest of the island.

From the other side, they could see the complete 360 angle of the course they had just walked, along with half of the island. To the other side of the island they could see all of the white wash buildings of the city, while the other was completely green and undisturbed.

"Here we are. And we're right on time for the sun set too." Greg pointed across the perfect blue sea as the sun was just beginning to set, shimmering against the surface of the ocean.

"I see." Stepping up behind the younger man, Nick circled his arms around his waist then rested his chin on his shoulder while he took in the sights around them.

"So, what do you think?" Greg whispered, enjoying the comforting embrace from his boyfriend while it lasted.

Nick gave him a slight shrug as he held him tighter, never wanting to let him go. "I think... it's the second most amazin' thing I've ever seen."

"Second?" Greg queried as he turned his head to face him. "What's the first?" Nick just responded with a wide smile as he reached into his jeans pocket for his camera. "You kept the picture of my epic fail on the horse?" Greg suddenly noticed as Nick turned his camera on. "I told you to delete that. My mother would never let me hear the end of it."

"We won't show her that one." Nick smiled at him then touched his lips to his forehead as he turned the camera around in his hand to face the two of them.

"Real evidence that you're gay? You must be improving." He giggled.

"I want real evidence of us, actually." Nick corrected him. "Workin' our jobs, we should know by now that nothin' lasts forever. I want the memories of the good times to last."

Greg's lips spread into a wide smile as he understood Nick's reasons; he was just really enjoying the new found confidence in his affection towards him at the moment. It was like a dream come true, but he still had a long way to go. "Speaking of good times," Licking his lips, Greg turned in Nick's arms to face him completely. "Where's my even better kiss that you were saving up for once we reached the top?" He queried, cheekily wiggling his eyebrows to Nick as he looked at the older man's lips poised in front of him.

"I didn't forget." After re-pocketing his camera, Nick smoothed his hands down Greg's sides towards his hips then slowly captured his lips with his own, giving him the moist passionate kiss he had been waiting for the whole walk up.

From the very moment that their lips touched, Nick knew he had found his true love.

"Now we have to make it back down." Greg whispered to him as they finally pulled back from each other.

"If you're good, I'll treat you to dinner." Nick smiled round at him.

"You can't buy me dinner too, you already got me..."

"I want to." Nick insisted as he reached out for Greg's hand to lead him back down. "You can get the next one. Today's my treat though." The traditional romantic insisted as he laced his fingers together with Greg's, leading the way back down the stairs.

It didn't take them too long to get back to the car, they passed by three different couples on the way, but the old couple they had seen on the way up seemed to have left already.

Once they reached the bottom, they loaded into the rental car then drove off towards the nearest restaurant for a romantic meal that Nick paid for again.

Holding a tipsy Greg against him in the elevator of their hotel, Nick felt more love for him now than he ever had before. "Hey Nicky?" The younger man spoke softly as he turned his head to look round at him. "Have you ever paid for sex?"

"No." Nick gave him a curious look. "Why, have you?"

"Nope, never." Greg shook his head then turned around as the elevator doors opened, leading Nick off down the hall towards their room. Once inside, Greg removed his sneakers and locked the door firmly in place while Nick removed his boots. "To me, sex without love is pointless." The younger man explained as he continued into the room, leading Nick by the hand off towards the bed. "It's like... shoving a key into a lock and not bothering to open it... or something like that anyway."

"Are you tryin' to ask me... what I think you're tryin' to ask me?" The Texan smiled at the nervous man, giving him a curious look as he dropped back to sit on the edge of the bed.

"No... well, actually that depends on what you think that I'm trying to ask you. If you think that I'm thinking of trying to ask you for, you know... that. Then sorry hombre, but you're wrong in thinking that I'm thinking that I'm gonna ask you that." Greg cryptically replied, making Nick laugh at him. "What?"

"Nothin'." Shedding his jacket, Nick climbed onto the bed beside Greg then pulled him down to lay down next to him. "No I have never paid for sex Greg; sex without love does seem pretty pointless. I should know, I've been havin' it... well since I started to have sex." He admitted to him as he propped himself up on his elbow beside him. "When I first thought about it, I thought that sex was just to make babies so we go on livin'. But I also thought that it was this serious intimate connection between two people, but that was before I started havin' sex."

"Off the top of your head, how many girls have you slept with?" Greg queried, not sure he really wanted to know.

"More than... a few," Nick tilted his head to the side, looking at the hurt reaction in Greg's eyes. "I never felt a connection with any of them. I thought that the more girls I slept with, the less I'd want the opposite. I always thought that one more girl would tip the scale and I'd stop wantin' what I shouldn't."

"You can have what you... shouldn't want." Greg whispered to him. "You already feel something for me don't you?" Nick nodded slightly as he looked at the dark hungry swirls in the younger man's eyes. "So, did you wonna feel more of a connection with me? We might as well find out if this relationship is gonna work while we're on vacation right? Why not find out if we're compatible right now?"

"Do all the guys fall for that line... or just me?" Nick joked through his nerves as he felt his heart pounding inside of his chest at Greg's request.

"It's really just like any other relationship you've been in." Greg assured him as he rolled onto his side to face the equally nervous man beside him. "You've had... you know, sex with girls the other way, right?" He queried.

Nick gulped hard, giving him a nervous nod. "Yeah, but..."

"Then it's really not that different at all." He interrupted him before he complained. "You really don't have to though. But it really is just like any other relationship you've been in, minus one insignificant little thing, which really won't make any difference once we..."

"Except it's with you." Nick said pointedly as he anxiously brushed his fingers through his hair. "I've never... done it with a friend before." He explained, feeling a strange tightness in his chest. "Especially not a guy friend... this will really make me gay."

Greg chuckled softly, shaking his head at him. "Technically, you're gay no matter what we do. But really, who cares? Gay, straight... they're just labels, insignificant labels that really don't matter in the end." He pointed out to him.

Nick laughed through his nerves then turned his body to completely align Greg's. "Is this Greg talkin' or the alcohol?"

"Hey, you had more than me." Greg defended himself, giving him a wide smile. "I want you to be comfortable with me. I don't care if we never... do that. I just want to be close to you, and I can tell you want to be close to me too. You've been the big romantic sweet talker all day." Greg spoke softly as he swirled his fingertip across Nick's chest. "You can't tell me that you don't want me after everything we've done today."

Chuckling softly, Nick gazed into Greg's eyes as he placed on hand on the younger man's hip. "I never realised how nervous you are about this, G. You can't even say the word sex to me, what makes you think you're ready to go through with this?"

"Because I feel it... in my heart." The younger man's lips spread into a nervous smile as he looked into the deep soulful eyes of his Texan lover. "I love you, Nicky. I know that. And that really is me talking. You said you always wanted to feel true love, well so have I and I feel it right now."

Nick smiled back to him then brought their lips together for a quick kiss. "I love you too." The older man whispered then gently slid his hands beneath his lover's t-shirt, gently caressing the small of his back with his bare hands. "And I completely respect your choice to break our abstinence pact."

"If there was a pact, I never signed it." Greg joked as he gazed into Nick's eyes. "You really don't have to do this. I don't want you to do it just for me. The last thing I wonna do is pressure you into sex."

"No, I want to." Nick assured him before he admitted, "I'm just... really nervous. I feel like it's my first time again."

"Well, it is... sorta. It's your first time with me."

"You're a real smooth talker in the sack, huh G?" The older man snickered as Greg had completely settled his nerves, just by looking him in the eye and telling him the truth.

Closing his eyes as he rolled over onto his back, Greg began to relax his body as his new lover boldly began to explore beneath his t-shirt with his hands, while he moved his moist, warm lips down the nape of his neck towards his collarbone.

Greg found his arms sliding around the Texan's broad shoulders, feeling his heart pounding furiously against his ribcage as Nick's hands started to fiddle with the belt of his jeans. He was in no hurry to get them undone, causing Greg to whimper against his hairline from the painfully slow action.

Slowly, the two men began to peel away one another's clothing, grasping the hems of one another's shirts and tugging them up over their heads, almost simultaneously as they were so desperate for more contact.

Once their shirts were removed and the clothing was discarded to the bedroom floor, Nick bravely explored his partner's bare chest with warm open mouthed kisses before he finished removing Greg's jeans. His fingertips delicately travelled across the inside of his lover's leg as he caressed the rest of his body with his eyes, finally feeling at home with a man beneath him instead of a woman.

"What's the matter?" Greg asked as he seemed to stop his affection.

Nick shook his head to him, allowing his lips to spread into a slight smile. "It's nothin', really it's nothin'." Nick tugged his own jeans and boxers down the rest of the way then helped Greg with his boxers. With his knees now straddling the younger man's thighs, Nick felt completely at home. There was no nervousness left in his body, he knew just what he wanted to do and he took his time to make it last.

The first time virgin lost himself in the moment; Nick filled a void in his body that he didn't even know existed until it was filled with his warmth. With soft lips, the tender caressing of gentle fingertips and the divine feel of skin on skin, Greg completely disappeared, merging as one with the man buried deep inside of him.

* * *

**There it is, I hope you enjoyed it!**

**The Diamond Head hike was the hardest part to write because the various websites I found didn't have pictures. Then I finally struck lucky when I found a video on youtube of a couple on their honeymoon that filmed their whole walk from the bottom to the top of the volcano as I wanted it as real as possible :D**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I wrote their love making scene a little different from the way I usually do, but I thought it would be more romantic this way rather than the heavy sex and makeout which I'll save for later :P**

**Thanks so much for reading! Please Review!**

**Have a great Weekend**

**~ Holly**


	20. Chapter 19: Hooked

**I didn't forget about this story, just been busy. Sorry. I hope this chapter makes up for it :D**

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen: Hooked**

Sitting in the chair across the room from the bed, Nick relaxed back against the cushions behind him with his legs propped up on the opposite seat, while he looked across the room at his new lover lying half naked across the middle of the bed. Under the soft glow of the moonlit sky, Greg looked like a beautiful angel. Nick wasn't quite sure what he was feeling. He thought after he had finally completely committed the sinful act that a lightning bolt would strike him down or he'd suddenly keel over and die.

But instead, he felt something inside of him that he had never felt before, and suddenly everything made sense to him.

Denying himself of what he really wanted was the sinful act. Sleeping around with tons of women to try and rid himself of these feelings that he had inside of him was the wrong in his life. Now that he had Greg though, everything was right. He finally understood why people fell in love or even bothered with relationships because more than anything in the world, he wanted this feeling with Greg to continue and grow.

Before Nick had ever given into the real side of him, he believed that gay men were only gay for the sex. Now that he knew true love and could really be with a man though, he knew different. With women, the only thing Nick could do was have sex. That was what got him in trouble with Kristy Hopkins, the hooker who was murdered after he slept with her. Now that Nick was dating someone he loved though, he wanted to wine and dine him, treat him to candle lit dinners, romantic evenings in front of the fire place or in the hot tub and take long walks with him on the beach, even if he did bitch and complain that his feet hurt as his sneakers were full of squishy sand . . .

Greg was worth it.

From what his father and older brother had told him about it, gay men were men who didn't have strong relationships with their fathers and had sex with other men to make up for that.

Nick never understood his father's logic.

_Why would a man have sex with another man to make up for the fact he has no relationship with his father?_ He would constantly ask, but no one ever gave him a reasonable explanation, making him more and more confused over his situation.

Nick smiled widely as he watched the younger man sleepily adjusting himself beneath the covers. He rolled over as if he was searching for Nick's warmth, giving out a soft moan as he nestled back against the pillow on his stomach.

Nick climbed to his feet and padded across the floor towards him. The younger man reached out for his warmth again, fluttering his eyes open slightly as he didn't find it beside him. "Hey." He softly murmured as he saw Nick stood beside the bed. "Whatsup?"

"Nothin', go back to sleep." Nick whispered softly to him as he gently eased himself onto the bed beside him. Greg blinked his eyes a few more times then fell right back to sleep, his chest gently arching up and down with each deep breath.

Nick carefully lay himself down beside Greg, admiring all of his beautiful features that he had been admiring for years from afar. He couldn't believe that this whole thing had taken this long to finally come true, but he realised that Greg was well worth the wait too.

"Greg." He whispered softly into his ear as he draped his arm around his body. "I love you." Gazing at his lover's adorable face, Nick smiled in perfect happiness as he lowered his head to Greg's shoulder, slowly beginning to doze off to sleep for himself in his lover's arms.

* * *

Rolling over on the bed the next morning, Greg searched for Nick's warmth as he slowly awoke. He reached straight across the vacant cold spot before he opened his eyes, realising he was all alone on the bed. "Nick?"

Greg struggled to a sitting position, spotting the long silk curtains flapping heavenly in the gentle breeze like something out of a romance film. Any minute now Nick would be walking through in one of the hotels linen dressing gowns with breakfast in his hands and they'd kiss in the morning sunshine while the curtains entwined around them.

Only in Greg's fantasies that is.

Greg scrambled off the bed, reaching for his underwear off the floor. He tugged them up to his hips then made his way off through the hotel room towards the double doors; spotting Nick sat out on the balcony on one of the sun beds with his head in his hands.

This definitely wasn't any romance film. Nick was a tortured man, and no matter how hard Greg tried to make him happy, there was always going to be this memory and these nightmares constantly burned into him.

"Hey." Greg plopped himself down onto the sun bed opposite Nick, running his eyes across his dark, handsome features as Nick slowly looked up at him, returning the soft smile. "Are you..." Greg stopped himself before he said it. He hadn't said it once since Nick snapped at him about it the other day and he knew how much the older man hated those three little words, so he zipped his lips shut, pretending he wasn't going to say anything.

"I'm fine." Nick spoke up, looking up into Greg's eyes. "Are you okay?" Greg responded with a nod, making Nick smile slightly wider. "I'm more than fine actually, I'm great." He beamed a wide smile at him as he remembered everything that happened last night. "We did... you know, that wasn't part of my dream was it?"

"If it was, it was a pretty hot dream." Greg grinned back at him. "It was really us though. Do you... maybe... regret it?" He asked, hoping the answer was no.

"Not in the least," The Texan shook his head. "Provided you didn't just do it to up your reputation at the lab."

"No, you think I did this for the rep." Greg gave him a soft smile then climbed off the sun bed, taking a step closer to press his lips to Nick's. "I did this because I wanted you." He assured him.

Nick licked his lips from the kiss then pulled Greg down on top of him so the younger man was sitting on his thighs, straddling his hips. "Good. I wanted you too." Joining their lips for an affectionate morning kiss, Nick smiled as he slid his hands across the smooth skin of Greg's back, pulling him closer against his body. "So, what's on the agenda for today, honey?" Nick openly used the pet name he was starting to enjoy.

"Surfing?" Greg grinned against his parted lips. "And don't say you don't surf, I'm teaching you, remember?"

"Okay." Nick smiled as he slid his hands down to Greg's waist. "But I'm takin' you out to dinner tonight."

"Damn, that musta been some first time." He snickered. "You're now a love sick virgin."

"Not a virgin anymore." Nick pointed out to him as he climbed to his feet, securing his hands under Greg's thighs so he could lift him up with him. "Not completely anyway, you still have my cherry to pop."

"You wonna be my bitch too, huh?"

"You say the word," Leaning forwards; Nick winked as he touched his lips to Greg. "And I'll do anythin' for you, honey."

"Really, so if I tell you to get on your knees...?"

* * *

"On your knees, Nicky . . . now up . . . no, no good." Greg shook his head. "You've gotta get up quicker than that Nicky." Greg warned him as the older man seemed to be having trouble moving from a lying down position to kneeling then to standing position, even on the beach while no one was around. "Watch me this time."

"I was the last time." Nick protested as the younger man gave him a gentle push off the board to show him how it was done.

"No you weren't." Greg giggled as he lay down on his stomach on the board. "We both know what you were staring at." The younger man cheekily winked up at him as he wiggled his buttocks in the air, before he showed him the move again.

"I'm not as limber as you though." The older man complained, feeling exhausted already. "Muscles really don't help out in this situation, that's why all the surf boys are skinny models like you." He wheezed.

"Tons of guys with muscles can do this. Kids can do it; even girls with double D's can do it." Greg grinned at him as he got down into position to show him the move again. "You'll get it eventually, Nicky. We'll do a few more of these then I'll take you out on the waves."

Nick looked out at the crashing waves against the clear blue sea then glanced around at Greg. "You have got to be jokin', I'll drown out there. It's too windy."

"It's meant to be. You can't ride a wave if it's as flat as a pancake." Greg giggled as he pecked a kiss to Nick's cheek then moved him over to the board to try again. "Remember, if you go too slow, you're gonna wipe out. You have to get up fast and balance your weight in the centre of the board in order to follow through."

"That sounds so dirty." Nick immaturely pointed out to him, laughing as Greg frowned at him. "I'm sorry; did I steal your thunder, baby?" Nick winked up at him, chuckling softly at Greg's reaction before he attempted to do the move himself.

Around half an hour later, he almost got it, so Greg decided to let him out onto the waves to see how he was at riding a few of them, while he did everything Greg had instructed him to do on the board.

"Paddle... up on your knees... now feet... balance..." Greg winced as Nick wiped out, crashing hard into the water beneath him. "It's okay." Greg swam towards him, holding the board steady as he climbed on again. "This time, arms out and stay in centre so you don't tip it."

Nick gave him a nod, putting all his trust in Greg that he could do this.

Greg positioned Nick in line of a wave then took a step back as the wave came rolling beneath his board. "Paddle... paddle, Nick." Greg shouted to him, grinning widely as Nick started paddling then moved to his knees before he jumped to his feet. He rode the wave a little then lost his balance and splashed down into the water again.

"Don't laugh." Nick warned him, running a hand through his hair. "I almost had it that time."

"You did. You just need to work on your balance." Greg agreed, helping him back onto the board. "You wonna give up?"

"Nope, I'm just startin' to get the hang of it." Another hour later, Nick had wiped out more times than he stayed on the board, but he was really starting to get the hang of it. Until the exhaustion kicked in that is, then all he wanted to do was go to sleep and rest his aching body.

Swimming over to where Nick collapsed on the sand, Greg dropped to his knees by the board, unstrapping the Velcro strap from Nick's ankle before he climbed over the other side of Nick's body, looking down into his tired eyes. "You're pretty good, Nicky." He assured him.

"I'm exhausted." He panted, placing one hand on his chest as he looked up at Greg. "Where did you learn to do this?"

"My Dad. He loved surfing when he was younger. When I was around six, he felt really guilty for working constantly; we went away for a week over Christmas to a warmer place. He first got me on a surf board on Christmas Eve and I was surfing on my own by Boxing Day." He explained. "Been doing it ever since."

"Well, I don't think I'm cut out for surfin'." He wheezed, feeling his head becoming heavier from the exhaustion.

"You wonna go back to the hotel and watch movies?" Greg suggested as he caressed Nick's body with his eyes. "We can try the surfing again another day, if you're up for it."

Nick looked up into Greg's eyes, giving him a wide smile as the younger man continued to gaze at his body through eyes of hunger. "Okay, but we both know that you don't _just_ want to watch movies with me. You've been starin' at me like that all day. You wonna try it the other way, doncha?"

"Don't look so nervous." Greg smiled softly as he leant up on his elbow beside Nick. "I'm just curious. I'm a virgin; it's my job to be curious. And when I say virgin, I mean to guys." He quickly corrected before the smile across Nick's lips spread any wider. "We don't have to if you're not comfortable though. It's just that you kept asking me if I liked it, and the best way to find out is..."

"I know." Nick blushed as he gave him a nervous smile. "Not today though, I'm sore as it is from crashin' into the water all day."

Greg returned his smile then touched his lips to his forehead, not caring about anyone around them as he did. "I'd much rather watch a movie with you then force you to do something you don't wonna do, Nicky. I love you."

Nick glanced around at the nearest people then beamed a wide smile back up at Greg. "I love you too, Greg."

The two of them packed up their boards and headed back to the hotel for a quiet afternoon together. While Greg was in the shower washing the sand of his body, Nick brushed his teeth and shaved his jaw line in the sink against the other wall. Through the frosted glass of the shower, Nick could just about make out Greg's beautiful figure. As Greg started to rub the soap into his body, Nick couldn't hold out any longer, he had to do something before he exploded against the sink.

Stepping up to the glass door of the shower, Nick inhaled a deep breath to calm his ridiculous nerves then slid the shower door open, startling Greg to turn and face him. "Hey... eh... do you mind if I...?" Nick struggled to find his words as he looked at the gentle drops of water rolling down the side of his new lover's face.

"Sure." Greg answered, taking a step back from the door. "Don't forget your clothes." He pointed out to him, before he stepped into the shower with his clothes on. Nick gave him a smile then removed his sweat pants and boxers, taking a hesitant step into the shower with Greg.

Sliding the door shut behind him, Nick took a slight step forward towards the younger man as he reached his hands out to him. He weaved his fingers together with Greg's at his sides, stepping closer so the both of them were directly under the spray of the shower. "It's so much better with you." Nick spoke softly.

"What?" The younger man looked at him confused.

"My life, Greg. It's so much better with you." Nick repeated, raising one hand to brush his fingers through Greg's wet hair. "You're amazin'." Greg smiled back at him, unable to speak from the intensity of the Texan's warm gaze. "This isn't just a holiday thing is it? You do wonna be with me when we get back?"

"Yeah, of course I do." Greg nodded, pulling the nervous man closer against his own body. Leaning forwards, Greg captured Nick's lips with his own, weaving his own fingers through his wet strands of hair as Nick slid his arms around his wet slippery back, holding the warmth of his body securely against him.

As they pulled back for air, Nick gazed into his younger lover's eyes, gently feathering his fingertips across his partner's cheek towards his chin. He smiled as he could feel the younger man trembling in his arms from his own nervousness of his brave advance. "You're beautiful, Greg." He rasped, moving his hand to entangle his fingers in his hair as he pulled him closer for another kiss.

Pulling back from his partner's lips, Nick whispered, "So beautiful."

Nick bravely roamed his partner's naked body with his hands, taking on his natural role of the more dominant male during intimacy. Greg made no protest to his moves. He just relaxed and breathed deep as his new lover explored his body in his way he had never experienced or imagined. Nick was no longer nervous to give into what he desired the most, instead he felt privileged to have such a beautiful boyfriend like Greg in his life.

* * *

Feeling his breath stuttering from his chest, Nick arched himself up towards the warm body against him, feeling the familiar burn of ecstasy writhing its way through his body. Nick's cheeks suddenly flushed, burning a hot red glow as Greg finally crawled up his chest, bringing their lips together for a deep kiss. Closing his eyes, Nick wrapped his arms around the warm body on top of him, tasting the tantalizing scent right from his lover's tongue.

Greg finally pulled back his lips, scoring his tongue across his bottom lip as he smiled down into his partner's eyes. "So, whaddya think?"

"Well, before now... I always thought that was wicked gross." Nick admitted, smiling up at him. "The girls I... you know, they wouldn't so much as let it sit on their tongue, but you..."

"Does it still gross you out?" Greg asked, smoothing his hands across his partner's naked torso. After a playful kiss to his blushing lover's lips, Greg rasped, "Did you like it?"

"Well... it was kinda... hot actually." Nick gave out a nervous laugh, unable to believe what his best friend just did. Anxiously licking his lips, Nick smoothed his hands up the beautifully sculpted back on top of him, playfully nipping at his partner's lips. "How on earth did you learn how to do that so well... actually, I don't wonna know." He changed his mind, resting his head back against the cushions beneath him.

"Are you okay?" Greg asked him.

Turning his head to look round at the clock, Nick smiled as he realised the time. "Wow, from the mind blowin' shower over an hour ago to here... I'm great." Nick released his nerves in another laugh, gazing into Greg's eyes above him. "I've never felt this comfortable with someone after. Usually I can't wait to leave."

"Because you were doing it with all the wrong people, Tex," Greg grinned as he leant forwards to kiss him, gently brushing his fingers through his pillow creased hair that had dried since their shower together. "You just needed to find the right one."

Nick smiled in agreement, gently brushing his fingers through Greg's fluffy spikes of hair. "Yeah, but you're the right one aren't you, G?" Licking his lips, Nick inhaled a deep breath of courage then slid his hands towards the younger's man waist. "Okay, roll over." He gently pushed Greg's body off him onto the bed beside him, completely surprising him as he didn't expect him to do it.

"What are you doing?" Greg panicked as Nick had switched their positions so he was on top.

"I don't want you to leave me for a man who knows how to pleasure you better than me." Nick stole a kiss from his boyfriend's moist lips, re-tasting himself on his breath. Greg gave out a soft whimper as Nick's warm lips slowly travelled down the side of his neck towards his collarbone. "I've gotta learn how to do it sometime."

"Mmmm, you know Nicky; you don't have to do this." Greg assured him, gasping softly as he felt Nick's palm smoothing lower down his chest.

"You don't like this?" Nick smiled against his lips as he smoothed his hand back down towards the younger man's hips. "Because I have this stabbin' feelin' in my stomach that says different." He made his first joke about their intimacy as he ground his hips against Greg's, feeling the younger man's erection pressing against his stomach.

"Jokes are good, that means your confidence is building." Greg smiled back at him.

"Well considerin' that I couldn't do this before," Nick arched his hips into Greg's, watching in delight as the younger man's face filled with pleasure. "I'd say you're right." He whispered as he leant closer for a kiss.

Arching his hips up against Nick's, Greg gave him a slight smile as he saw the look in his eyes then shivered as Nick pushed the covers tangled around them aside, gazing at the beautiful body beneath him. "I knew you just wanted to see me naked again."

Nick chuckled softly then lowered his mouth to Greg's neck, softly sucking and nibbling at the soft skin before he moved down to his collar bone, tasting the salt water straight off his body. When Nick wisped his tongue around his sensitive nipple, Greg gave out a grateful moan then felt his body surrendering to him as Nick closed his mouth around his nipple, gently sucking at his sensitive skin.

"You don't have to do it if you don't want to." Greg assured him.

"I'm workin' up to it." Scoring his tongue across the middle of Greg's chest, Nick did the same to his other nipple, this time he gently grazed his teeth across the raised nub, hearing Greg moaning happily in response. He could already feel some of the tension from Greg's body starting to drain. "You know I really love your flat chest. I love your shoulders. I love your arms, your delicate fingertips... and your beautiful wrists." He continued pressing kisses to the younger man's body, being encouraged to go further by the younger man's delicate moans.

"I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say you love everything about me." Greg giggled softly.

Nick's cheeks lightly flushed as he nodded to him, "I do. If that's too soon, I'm sorry... but I do."

"It's been about six years... so no, not too soon." Greg gave him a wide smile then wrapped one of his arms around Nick's shoulders, pulling him closer as the older man advanced on his lips, bringing their warm mouths together again. "And never be sorry for loving me. Although, I do kinda feel sorry for you."

"Why?" Nick cocked one of his eyebrows in confusion as he looked down at Greg.

Greg smiled up at him as he smoothed his hands across his beautiful sun kissed skin. "Well Nicky, anyone as hot as you can get any guy they ever wanted," He whispered. "But you picked me."

"I did... and I think you're the best. That's why I want you." Blanketing his boyfriend's body with his own, Nick closed his eyes as he brought their mouths together, hungrily consuming the sweet forbidden fruit of Greg's mouth that he was starting to get addicted to.

Slowly moving his hands down Greg's warm body beneath him, Nick repositioned himself above his stomach, circling his tongue around his navel. He smiled up at the younger man, trailing kisses down his partner's vulnerable thigh.

"Ni-Nicky... you don't have to do this." Greg gasped, arching his chest up off the bed as his boyfriend's warm lips scoured down the centre of his body. Weaving his fingers through Nick's tousled hair, Greg gave out a delectable moan as Nick's warm lips touched his most sensitive inches. "You still don't have to do this."

"After hearin' you moan like that?" Nick smiled from his position over Greg's stomach. "Just relax baby." He whispered softly, while he tried to work himself up to the courage of doing the same thing to Greg that the younger man had just done to him.

Less than half a minute later, Greg moaned Nick's name, gripping handfuls of his partner's hair as his body started to shudder. Nick was much more surprised by the finish then he thought he would be, but it wasn't as bad as girls always complained when they had done it to him.

Nick pulled back for deep breaths of air then crawled up Greg's chest, pressing their lips together in the same way Greg had done to him. "So, how'd I do?" He queried, dropping his head to Greg's shoulder.

"Hmm... on a scale of one to ten," Greg pursed his lips together as he tried to think. "I'd say around... thirty."

"Really, that much?" Nick chuckled, swirling his fingertip across Greg's chest.

"Yeah." Greg giggled, circling his arms around his partner's warm body. "Pretty good for your first try. You're not gonna be sick are you?" Nick shook his head, giving him a curious look. "There was the guy in college... right after; he threw up on the bed beside me. It was pretty gross."

"Ew," Nick cringed then licked his lips as he looked up into his boyfriend's eyes. "I'm not gonna throw up." He assured him. "I wouldn't do it for anyone but you, Greg. I hope you know that's a giant step out of the comfort zone I've been hidin' away in. A step I'd never take for anyone else."

"Really, I woulda thought that was the sex yesterday." The younger man giggled, loving the hungry look in his bed mate's eyes. "I know. Giving you my heart is a giant step for me. Everyone else who I've given it to has broken it, stomped and trampled across it without a care in the world for me."

"I care about you." Nick circled his fingertips above Greg's heart, whispering, "I'd never break your heart, Greg. I want to protect you. I want to protect your heart. You deserve to be loved because you're a wonderful person. And I love you."

"Are you always this cute after sex?" Greg grinned down at him. "I love you too." Greg moved his legs so they were either side of his partner's body, so that he was perfectly nestled between his thighs. Greg smiled as Nick gave out the slightest little moan of pleasure from their hips aligning. "So, what are your plans for the rest of the day, Nicky?" He casually asked as he folded his hands behind his head. "We could maybe do something else to occupy our time together in bed..."

"You're gonna ask me that now that you just gave me another hard on when I told you my body was achin' from all the surfin'... or should I say splashin' we did today?" He sounded like he was moaning, but he was smiling the whole time, struggling to lift his hips as Greg locked his legs around his thighs. "Greg, it's not that I don't want to... again. I just think that maybe we should rethink the whole, goin' all the way thing... with me."

"We don't have to do anything." Greg assured him. "I just wanted to feel you against me. You spent half your time on the beach at least five feet from me. That was too far away for me."

Nick smiled as he realised Greg wasn't asking for sex, he was just being adorable and wanted him close to him. "Okay, but... you coulda just said somethin' earlier."

"You want me to start up a bitch fight on the beach of why my own boyfriend is afraid to touch me? The mothers out there would thing I was some weird pervert. They'd be worrying I'd be going after their kids next."

"No they wouldn't, because you're not like that." Nick assured him, realising his behaviour of pushing Greg away for so long was starting to take an emotional effect on him. Slowly leaning down to Greg's level, Nick touched his lips to the younger man's, gently teasing his tongue inside of his mouth. As Nick upped the heat of his kisses, he gently teased his fingertips across Greg's abdomen, allowing his hand to roam across his perfectly taut stomach. "So, what was that movie you wanted to watch?" He queried, gently nipping at Greg's lower lip.

"It's already set up." Greg reached for the remote he had set on the bedside table, unlocking his legs from Nick's waist so he could move to a comfier position. "It's a romantic, comedy. You don't mind do you?"

"Nope, anythin' but horror is good." Nick grabbed himself some boxers and a t-shirt then tugged some boxers up Greg's legs towards his hips, before he adjusted the pillows against the headboard and opened his arms for Greg to recline back against him. "I'm really enjoyin' bein' out here with you, Greg." He whispered against the younger man's neck. "What are we gonna do when we get back?"

"Well, you still wonna be with me doncha?" Greg queried, smiling as he felt Nick's arms securely wrapping themselves around his waist. "We can see each other after work and stuff."

"We can't let anyone at the lab know; they'll make us switch shifts." Nick pointed out to him. "You know the labs policy on datin'. We'll be in direct violation... and they won't exactly be nice about it since we're a same sex couple."

"Okay." Greg agreed, leaning back into his embrace. "So you mean besides the few that already know, we won't tell."

Nick nodded to him, resting his chin on top of Greg's head. "That's what I meant. We can't let word get back to Ecklie especially. If we have to switch shifts we'll never see each other."

"Is that fear I hear in your voice?" Greg tilted his head back across Nick's shoulder, giving him a soft smile. "Don't worry Nicky, not much will change when we go back home. We may not get to be with one another as much as we have here, but that's what vacations are for."

"I know." Nick agreed. "I just think I'm gonna miss bein' around you. I never had this before, and I don't wonna give it up."

"Aww, face it, Nicky... you're hooked." Greg smiled up at him.

Lacing his fingers together with Greg's, Nick nodded in agreement. "I am."

* * *

**Thanks so much for reading! Please review!**

**~ Holly**


	21. Chapter 20: Together Forever

**Thanks to Alisa for beta-ing this for me! I hope you guys enjoy it!**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty: Together Forever**

Every feature of Nick's face flushed as red as a ripe tomato, as his new boyfriend dragged him to the dance floor of the bar. He made no effort to pull against him or stop him, since it was his idea to take him out to dance in the first place. But his eyes were instantly searching the crowd to see the dirty looks of disgust, that weren't there. "Relax Nicky, nobody knows us and they don't really care." The younger man softly spoke, as he held the jittery man's hands at his sides.

Nick looked around at the crowd that weren't paying attention to him a moment then raised his gaze to Greg's eyes, giving him a soft smile as he realised how ridiculous and paranoid he was being. "Sorry, force of habit." Nick moved closer against him, gently lifting one of the younger man's hands to his shoulder as he started to sway with him to the slow tango styled music. "God, I don't wonna go home. I wonna stay here with you, forever."

"You can't... we'll run out of money and people will start to miss us, like my mother." Greg smiled to him, momentarily shivering as Nick unexpectedly tugged him closer against his hips.

"Do you think we're too young to retire or settle down somewhere?"

"You're planning a future with me now?" Greg asked surprised, losing control of the smile of excitement escaping his lips. "Wow, you must really like me."

"I do." Nick smiled widely, brushing his fingertips across Greg's cheek. "I love you in fact. I'm crazy about you, G." Sliding his hand from Greg's hip to the small of the younger man's back, Nick whispered, "I've completely fallen head over heels in love with you, Greg Sanders."

Utterly speechless for a brief moment, Greg decided to just smile in awe as he looked deep into his dance partner's soulful eyes. "I love you too. Is me being a guy that much of a big deal anymore?"

"Not so much." Nick shook his head, checking on the people around him that still weren't paying attention to him, before he kissed his boyfriend in public. "You know, somebody once told me that we're all the author of our own life story, so why not make it a happy endin'. I never understood it until now." He whispered softly, feeling Greg's heart beat racing in time with his own. "All my life, I've felt like somethin' was missin'. Like I was lost or wrong. I wasn't writin' my own story, I was livin' through my parents wishes of how I should be, and not how I really am."

"You're not trying to tell me I'm your fairy tale ending, are yah? Because then, I just feel sorry for you." The younger man giggled as Nick poked him in the side to shut him up. He smiled against his Texan's lips, as the older man bravely made the move for a more passionate public kiss. His ravenous tongue forced Greg to part his lips, allowing Nick to take the lead for a furious, mouth watering kiss that made his knees tremble and his spine tingle.

Nick no longer wanted to live out his fantasy of dancing with a man in public; he wanted to live out a much more romantic one in the elevator ride up to their hotel room.

Greg gasped for breath as Nick pushed him against the cold elevator wall, covering his mouth with his own for another ecstasy filled kiss that made his whole body warm and quiver with excitement.

He craved more contact, and the hungry Texan gave it to him without a word.

Closing his eyes, Greg felt his legs weakening even more. He could feel the Texan's knee pressed against his crotch, while his hands frantically tugged at the fabric of his shirt, pulling it up his chest to feel his smooth skin beneath it, against his palms. He pulled back for a moment to breathe then covered the younger man's mouth with his own again, smoothing his hands through his tousled hair.

Greg's chest heaved for a deep breath, as Nick pulled back to exit the elevator. He tugged the younger man along with him by his hand, eager to get him back into their room.

Greg fluttered his eyes shut as Nick gently pushed him against their room door, returning his mouth to him, as his hands gently smoothed their way under the younger man's open shirt.

Before he knew it, they had arrived inside their room. Greg didn't open his eyes again, until the backs of his legs hit the bed and he fell backwards onto the soft bedspread, where he was about to live out yet another one of his own fantasies with the man rocking his world.

Silently moaning Nick's name, Greg arched his chest up off the bed sheets, writhing in agony as he struggled to keep his orgasm at bay. The elevator ride up to their room was just too much foreplay for him, and the Texan's moves were only getting more confident by the second as he bravely explored his boyfriend's chest with his mouth, wanting to discover every hidden inch of the body that he adored.

Turned on by the younger man's moans of pleasure, Nick moved his hands to his lover's belt buckle, pressing gentle kisses to his taut abdomen, as he fumbled with his belt and slowly unzipped the fly of his tight jeans. He could easily tell that Greg was desperate for more contact, from the way he was delicately whimpering on the bed, but Nick wanted to take his time in learning just how to push his new lover's buttons and make him squirm with pleasure on the brink of his release with his name on his lips.

"Easy, Greg." He breathlessly chuckled against his parted lips, repositioning his thighs to straddle the open fly of his jeans. "Just relax, baby. Breathe for me, okay?" Greg did as requested, inhaling steady deep breaths to calm himself down as his lover covered one of his sensitive nipples with his mouth, gently grazing his teeth against the raised nub that made Greg's toes curl in his sneakers.

Desperately wanting to feel skin against skin, Nick tugged Greg's shirt off the rest of the way, discarding it to the side of the bed while he removed the younger man's sneakers, socks, jeans and boxers, leaving the beautiful body completely naked beneath him. He took his time to admire the subtle curves of his muscles, wondering why he had never noticed how toned Greg's body was, despite being so slim.

Watching Nick admiring his body, Greg's mouth curved into a slight smile, glad to finally have someone who looked at him in the way he always dreamed.

Greg aided Nick in removing his clothing, feeling his excitement building as the layers of clothes were cast aside, leaving the stunning sun kissed body of his, free to be admired, rather than hidden away.

Closing his eyes as Nick moved to kiss him, Greg let his hands roam free across the object of his affection. Moaning the older man's name into his mouth, Greg pressed his palms into the sweaty skin and hard muscles of the God's body, wishing they could be frozen in time to live this moment forever.

Greg's silky thighs caressed Nick's hips, as the younger man repositioned himself to wrap his lover tightly into his body. The soft pads of his feet slid down the backs of Nick's thighs as he gave Nick a playful thrust of his hips, caressing every inch of his rippling back with his hands.

"How did I never notice how beautiful you are?" The Texan queried, stroking his fingertips through Greg's damp hair.

"Maybe because you were too busy trying to suppress your feelings?" He suggested, pressing his fingertips into Nick's sweaty shoulder blades. "Or maybe because you were never this close to me before?" A cheeky giggle escaped his lips as he locked his legs around Nick's waist, keeping his stomach pinned against him, his nipples hard against his chest. He grinned as Nick squirmed against him, murmuring his name as he struggled to hold on.

Sliding his fingertips down the centre of Nick's spine, Greg paused as he reached the swell of his boyfriend's buttocks, feeling his body twinge against him. He imagined if he did reverse the roles on Nick right now, he wouldn't be able to hold on for more than two seconds. He slid his fingers lower in a teasing motion, smiling as Nick tried to wriggle free to keep himself from exploding.

The desperate virgin curled his toes and clenched his fists, pushing his backside up towards the younger man's hand. He prayed that he would do it to him. He wanted to know what it felt like, but he didn't know if he could put his complete trust in the younger man not to hurt him or abuse him in the way someone else he trusted in his life already had.

Greg slipped his palms around each of the clefts of his arse, holding the unsure man against him. "Do you want me to?" He whispered into his sticky hair, brushing his lips across his cheek. "Hmm? Do you want it, Nicky?" Nick wanted to reply, but he didn't know if he could handle it. "We don't have to if you're not comfortable." Greg assured him.

"No, no..." Nick settled his hips against Greg's, looking into the younger man's deep brown eyes with gold flecks in their centre. "I want to. I want you, Greg." He answered in a nervous whisper.

For a moment, Nick just clung to Greg, thankful to be alive after the coffin so he could be here with him.

"I want you inside me, Greg." He finally whispered.

Greg let a small smile grace his lips, as he reached over to the bedside draw for the lubricant, being sure to heavily coat his fingers for the first penetration of the virgin's arse. Nick gritted his teeth together as he watched him, wondering if it was too late to change his mind about being dominated by someone he had known for years, but didn't know if he could trust.

As if he was reading Nick's mind, Greg whispered, "You can change your mind at any time, Nick. I won't hold it against you. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"No, I'm fine." He assured him. "I want this. I need you, Greg." He almost begged.

"Okay, just relax, baby." The younger man reversed their roles, watching the glint of trust in the Texan's eyes that almost made him look innocent, and child like.

Greg pressed an innocent kiss to Nick's temple then rolled him over onto his side, positioning himself behind him. Gently slipping one of his hands down the swelling curve of Nick's arse, Greg listened to the quiet wheezing coming from Nick's lips, before he slipped a single finger inside, feeling Nick's body spasm from the contact.

Greg gently stroked between the clefts of his cheeks, feeling pressure in his own groin as his desire continued to build. Nick gasped at the intrusion, struggling to relax himself, but luckily his mentor was monitoring him carefully.

"Relax Nicky, don't tense yourself up." His boyfriend whispered into his ear.

Greg delicately pressed one of his fingers into his opening again, feeling Nick relaxing this time. After a few minutes of gently stroking him, Greg gently slipped in a second finger, beginning to scissor them in and out of him. He listened to Nick's breathing carefully, noticing the older man had closed his eyes to keep those white hot sparks of pleasure at bay.

The second Nick heard a condom wrapper being ripped open, his heart started pounding and he found himself unable to relax again. "I won't do it if you don't want me to, Nicky." The younger man assured him, once he had got himself ready.

"I do." Nick rolled to look at him, his eyes darkened with desire. "I want you to, Greg. I've never been more sure of anythin' in my life. I... I trust you, Greg."

"Okay, as long as you're sure." Greg pressed a soft kiss to his lips then manoeuvred himself into position. Nick didn't specify how he wanted him to do it, so he figured spooning would be the best option.

A slight winced hissed from Nick's lips, announcing the penetration, causing Greg to quickly buck back as he feared he hurt him. "I'm fine." Nick whispered, turning his head to look at Greg. "I'll tell you when to stop. I promise."

"Okay." Greg took his word for it, gently pressing the tip of his erection between the crease of Nick's cheeks again. He felt the older man shudder upon entry, along with the slightest resistance of his tight muscles, but he forged on as Nick didn't say anything. Gently rocking his hips, Greg eased himself deeper inside his lover, moaning in pleasure as his tight muscles enveloped him perfectly.

Nick felt helpless and vulnerable, but he also felt safe and secure at the same time. He had never felt anything like it before, but he didn't want it to stop. Inhaling steady deep breaths, Nick pushed himself back against Greg, trying to pull his warmth deeper inside of him.

Greg wrapped one arm around Nick's waist, pressing a butterfly kiss to his exposed shoulder to get him relaxed even more, before he even started gently thrusting his hips. He started slow, listening to Nick's body to tell him if he was doing it too fast, as the last thing he wanted to do was hurt him and scar the memory of this into him for life.

"It's not as bad as I thought." Nick whispered to him, sliding his palm across the arm draped around his waist. "Don't be scared, baby. I'm fine." He reassured his lover, moaning softly as Greg angled his thrust to target his prostate.

Greg clenched his teeth into his lower lip, plunging one more thrust into his boyfriend's body, before he himself started to spasm and explode within seconds of his lover. Nick wished he could have held on longer, so it would have lasted longer, but he was glad he finally got to experience a whole new level of trust and pleasure, with someone he loved. The way he had always imagined it.

Greg slowly pulled out of him, disposing of the condom while he allowed his boyfriend to relax. "Are you okay, Nicky?" He asked, reclining himself against Nick's slick with sweat chest.

"I'm fine... great even." He grinned up at him, continuing to breathlessly pant. "It feels... different... weird, nice weird though."

Greg smiled softly, brushing aside Nick's sweaty hair from his forehead. "It gets better the more you do it." He assured him. "Is it... maybe something you'd want to do again?"

"Ask me when I'm sober." Nick replied, chuckling softly as he felt his excitement bursting at the seams inside of him. "It feels amazin'... and incredible, Greg. Speakin' of, did you wonna go again?"

"Right now? Right away again now?" Greg looked at him surprised. "I thought you'd want to wait."

"Nuh uh, I still want you. Gimme two minutes and I'll do you." The older man chuckled softly, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend's warm body. "You're amazin' Greg, you know that?"

"I bet you say that to everyone."

"Nope, only you." He shook his head, gently smoothing his palm flat down the centre of Greg's body towards his groin. "You're hard already, just by me doin' that?"

"You have no idea how stimulating a Texan's hands on your naked body is." Greg grinned up at him, loving his boyfriend's new found confidence with their intimacy. "C'mon then, giddyup cowboy, or do you need some Viagra?" He teased him, giggling and squirming as Nick furiously tickled him, forcing him over onto his stomach on the bed.

"You're lucky I'm not into spankin', G." He warned him as he grabbed a fresh condom for himself and the bottle of lubricant in the bed covers, allowing Greg to open himself up, while he tried to get himself hard again to please his younger lover.

As it turned out, all he had to do to get himself hard again, was to watch Greg's fingers scissoring in and out of his opening. He envied those fingers, immediately sending all the blood down south, ready to penetrate his lover's body.

"I wouldn't mind if you wanted to give me just a little spank." Greg grinned round at him, through an adorable puppy dog expression.

"Forget it, Sanders." He refused, slicking himself up with lube. "Save that for your Mommy."

"Ew." Greg cringed. "That's gross."

"Serves you right for squickin' me out." Nick chortled then moved to straddle the younger man's hips, scouring his tongue across the ridged scars that decorated his partner's back, until he reached his neck. "I'd much rather do this to you." He rasped against his neck, rocking his hips against Greg's arse.

Greg braced himself against the bedding, moaning and whimpering Nick's name as his muscles clenched his girth.

Nick positioned his hands either side of Greg's head, gently starting to rock his hips and thrust himself into his entry. Greg's breathing became quicker, fast, feeling his orgasm once again building, ready to explode at a moment's notice.

Nick could tell by his desperate pleas and soft moans that he was close. He now knew just how it felt and why it always drove Greg crazy.

The final thrust sent Greg over the edge, causing him to growl Nick's name as he clenched his fists into the covers beneath him. "Mmmm, Nicky." He moaned, one last time as the older man's body shuddered against him, releasing the white hot explosion from his body. So hot in fact, it caused him to momentarily black out from the intensity of the ecstasy swimming through his body.

Nick curled into his boyfriend's body a few minutes later, lying his head on Greg's sticky chest. "I love you, Greg." He whispered.

Greg wasn't coherent enough to respond back, but Nick didn't seem to care. After something like that, he knew he is loved.

* * *

Greg looked up towards Nick, frowning as the man suddenly sat up, fully clothed, holding an ice bucket in his hands. Greg coughed and spluttered as he threw it over his face, feeling the cold pieces of ice rolling down his naked chest.

"Ahh, Nicky, that's freaking cold!" He yelped, jumping out of the sun bed chair where he had dozed off to sleep. "What the hell did you do that for?"

"I'm sorry." The Texan laughed through his apology. "You kept moanin' my name and makin' weird noises." He set down the ice bucket then handed Greg a towel to dry himself off. "I was shoutin' your name and everythin' to try and wake you up, but you just kept goin'." He chuckled, secretly loving the fact that he got to witness his boyfriend having a naughty dream about him.

Greg smiled up at him as he dried his hair then rubbed the warm towel across his cold chest, noticing the boxer shorts he was wearing were all wet too. "I'm sorry, Nicky." He apologised himself. "I didn't get much sleep last night since you danced me off my feet then assaulted me from the lobby, the elevator then to the bedroom, four times or was it a hundred and twelve, I lost count." He cheekily teased him.

"We're on vacation." Nick defended himself, grinning widely as he handed his boyfriend a beer. "So, what was I doin' to you in this dream? From the sounds of it, you liked whatever I was doin' to you." He cockily grinned.

"Just reliving last night's events, only I was much more brawny and it lasted so much longer." Greg plopped himself down onto one of the dry sun beds, feeling his face flushing as Nick dropped onto the chair with him, straddling his hips.

"Oh yeah, reliving every moment of last night or just when you topped me?" Nick snickered against his lips.

Licking his lips, Greg smiled as he looked at his boyfriend's perfectly formed abs and chest. "Well you were the same perfect, golden torso'd boy you are now. I was just a little bigger and slightly more toned. But it was pretty much the same. I topped you and made you scream." He giggled.

"I'm not a boy." Nick protested.

"You are when you look at me like that." Greg giggled softly; capturing his partner's pouting lip for a slow sensual kiss. Grinning like a Cheshire cat as he pulled back from his boyfriend's lips, Greg whispered, "You know what you said last night."

"I said a lot of things last night." Tearing his eyes away from his boyfriend's chest, Nick lifted his gaze to look him in the eye. "Which part did you mean?"

"The happily ever after part," Greg moved his beer to his other hand as his fingers started to freeze. "What are we gonna do when we get back to Vegas, keep our separate houses and just see each other once a week between shifts or something?"

Stealing a sip from the beer bottle in his boyfriend's hands, Nick swallowed before he replied, "I think somebody's become a little spoiled over this vacation."

"Well yeah, I've never had a relationship like this before. I've never had somebody look at me the way you do. And I've never felt this way about somebody before. It's not like we only just started our relationship, really we only just went up another level from what we already had." Greg explained to him. "We've been friends for years, best friends." He corrected. "Boyfriends is just the next level up that we've built on from our friendship."

"In that case, wouldn't the logical thing be for you to move in with me?"

Greg looked at him surprised, completely taken back by his statement, "Was that a direct question?"

The Texan chuckled softly, gently brushing his thumb across the stunned man's chin. "Do you wonna move in with me, Greg?" He directly asked him this time, handing him back the condensated beer bottle. "At least then we'll get to see each other more." Nick touched his wet fingertips to Greg's cheek, feeling his heart pounding heavily inside of his chest as he whispered, "We'll get to see each other at the beginnin' and end of each day that way. We'll finally have someone to come home to. I've always wanted that."

"Me too." Smiling softly, Greg reached his free hand up into Nick's hair, gently brushing aside the soft strands before he answered, "Yeah, I'd love to move in with you. How can I turn down a half naked man perched on my hips?" He giggled.

"I better make sure I propose to you fully clothed then, otherwise I'll always be wonderin' if that was the only reason you did it." Nick smirked then leant forwards to join their lips for a hungry kiss, completely stopping Greg from asking anymore questions.

* * *

"No, I don't wonna go." Greg protested, wedging himself against the front door, once they were all packed and ready to go. "If we go back home, it's like we have to go back to our lives as if none of this ever happened."

"Honey, you're adorable, but you're bein' ridiculous." The older man chortled, tugging him out of the doorway, so he could get through. "Of course all of this happened. We're goin' back to Vegas _together_. And we're forever goin' to remember the memory of our _first_ vacation alone together." He assured him, checking they had everything, before he pulled the door to their hotel room shut for the last time. "This is certainly a vacation I'll never forget, and I'm actually really excited to get back home and be with you." He declared, bursting with excitement through a wide grin.

Greg pouted his lip out at him, reluctantly following him off towards the elevator, so they could leave for their flight back to Las Vegas after the best vacation in all his life. "We won't be able to do half the things that we did here back in Vegas. We won't be able to go on late night strolls across a moonlit beach, explore new things... horse ride... have sex all night..."

"Greg, did you notice how I said _first_ vacation together." Nick smiled as he looked round at his boyfriend's confused expression. "This isn't our last vacation together, it's just the first. I told you back in the hospital that I wanted to do more with my life. I'm not just gonna jump straight back into the old life..."

"Good word usage." Greg grumbled, not wanting Nick to go back to his _straight_ lifestyle.

"Not what I meant. I'm GAY and totally and completely in LOVE with YOU, Greg Sanders." He joyfully exclaimed, finally saying the dreaded G word, not caring that the elevator doors just opened to the lobby. "I'm gonna take more chances, startin' with you. I even feel brave enough to tell my family about us. I really couldn't care what they think of me anymore, I just want you in my life." He assured him. "This is just the first of many great times together. I'm really excited for you to move in with me. To wake up next to you and go to bed with you after work. I finally have a real _boyfriend_. And I'm not gonna waste it. I've never been more excited for anythin' in my life. I'll shout it out to the world that I love you, if that's enough to convince you that I'm in this relationship for the rest of my life."

Greg looked at him completely speechless, then turned his head to the side as the valet pulled the rental car up outside of the hotel, holding the driver's side door open for Nick. "Sir, your car."

"Thanks." Nick tipped him then took Greg's bags off his hands and loaded them into the back of the car. "You comin' or what, G?" He called out to him as he reached the driver's side door.

Greg peeled himself away from the slab he was frozen to after Nick's second proposal of the day and climbed into the passenger seat of the rental car, nervously biting his lower lip as they headed in the direction of the airport. "Couldn't we just stay another week?" He pleaded, watching the hotel getting smaller and smaller in the rear view mirror.

"Nope." Nick shook his head. "We've gotta get back to work. We've gotta figure out somethin' for Lita and the triplets when you move in with me..."

"You're kicking my cousin and the triplets out of my apartment?" Greg asked him, surprised.

"No." He chuckled softly. "I can't have you payin' to live at my place and payin' to keep your cousin and her kids, alone. It's not fair on you. Maybe I could pitch in to help her, then you wouldn't have to pay so much..."

"Stop!" The younger man abruptly shouted, feeling overwhelmed.

Nick looked round at him confused. "Stop the car?"

"No, stop being the perfect boyfriend," Greg turned on his seat to face Nick. "We're not even at the airport yet and you're already proposing to me, offering to pay to keep my cousin and her kids. Before I know it you'll be offering to be the surrogate to my children or my donor for a heart transplant."

"What's so wrong with that?" Nick smiled round at him.

Folding his arms across his chest, Greg gave out a soft sigh as he reclined back in his seat, wondering why it was all so overwhelming to him. "No one has ever loved me that much."

"And that bothers you?" Greg shook his head to him. "Then what's the matter, baby?"

"I don't know." Greg brushed his fingers through his windswept hair, watching his boyfriend navigating the roads a moment, before a smile finally covered his lips. "Maybe because I've never been loved by anyone like this before, who isn't my mother. I feel... full."

"I told you not to have that four course snack after lunch."

"No, not that kinda full," Greg smirked then placed his hand over his pounding heart. "I feel full here."

"Because you have a boyfriend who loves yah, baby." Nick winked at him, waiting for the traffic to slow, before he leant across the middle of the car, covering his boyfriend's mouth with his own for a hungry kiss to satisfy his cravings for him until they reached the airport.

"Watch the road." Greg giggled, pushing him back from him.

"Sorry. I just feel so in love with you right now."

"I know what you mean." He laughed softly to himself, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as he nestled back into his seat, watching a pearly white grin spreading across his boyfriend's lips as he turned his head back to the road so they wouldn't crash. "You really love me?"

"I really do." The Texan nodded through his grin then reached for his partner's hand, affectionately weaving their fingers together across the middle of the car. "Just try sayin' 'I'm your boyfriend', as many times as you can to let it sink in a little, baby."

"Okay, I'll give it a try." Greg smiled to him, holding his hand tightly as Nick pulled the rental car into a parking spot, turning everything off with his one free hand, before he finally let go of Greg's hand to get their bags out of the back.

As Nick returned the keys to the rental car, Greg announced, "He's my boyfriend," to the woman taking his paperwork from him.

"Not what I meant, G." Nick chuckled as he followed after him, feeling the woman's eyes burning into the back of his head, but he didn't really care. They headed off into the waiting area with their luggage, sitting for about three minutes before Greg had to jump up to get himself a coffee and something to eat.

"Would you like some sugar for your coffee?" The young woman offered Greg one of the little packets of sugar.

"No thanks, I've got my boyfriend to satisfy my cravings for something sweet."

Nick glanced up from the magazine he was skim reading through, rolling his eyes as Greg happily collected his coffee then made his way back towards him with a skip in his step. "Are you just gonna go around tellin' everybody that I'm your boyfriend, Greg?"

"Yeah, the more I say it, the quicker I'll get used to it." He grinned at him, dropping down into the seat beside Nick. "He's my boyfriend." He pointed to Nick as a woman walked by them.

"Greg, she doesn't care." He laughed. "I meant say it to yourself, not everyone else."

"You weren't specific in who or where I should say it though." He caught him out, giving him a wide grin. "It was your idea though, so you can't tell me to stop. You'll have to spank me if you want me to stop."

Feeling his cheeks flushing with embarrassment, Nick rolled his eyes at him, avoiding eye contact with the various other people sat around them. "There's no way I'm gonna do that, G. Gimme yah ticket before you spill your coffee on it." Nick reached for Greg's ticket and stuffed it into his jacket pocket with his own, before he relaxed back in his seat and put his arm around his boyfriend's shoulders. "When we get back it'll be close to midnight." He reported, tapping his watch as he worked out the time difference.

"That code for you want me to sleep over yours?" The younger man grinned round at him.

"Am I that easy?"

Greg thought about it a moment then shook his head. "Nope, not that easy. Just look how long it took me to get you into bed." He cheekily giggled, chuckling louder as Nick pressed a kiss to the side of his head.

"I believe it was me who took you to bed first, Greg." He pointed out to him then looked round as they announced their plane's boarding schedule. "Another fifteen minutes." He groaned, once the announcement had finished.

"Your fault." Greg pointed to him. "You always have to be everywhere early; we coulda had another quickie in bed..."

"I didn't wonna miss our flight, now they keep delayin' it." Nick interrupted him, moving his arm back onto the seat as some men of the cloth walked by them, heading towards the men's room together.

Catching up on his boyfriend's actions, Greg looked round at Nick then followed his gaze towards the men's room, "Relax Nicky; they're probably going for an afternoon quickie of their own before their flight."

Nick smiled round at him, tightening his arm around his shoulders again. "It doesn't bother me as much as it used to, G. I'm just... I don't wonna get stopped by a bunch of bible thumpers, is all." He explained. "I've been dealin' with them all my life tellin' me things about how wrong this is. But how can it be wrong when all we're doin' is lovin' each other? What they're doin' is so much more wrong, the gay bashers and protestors..."

"It's best not to think about that. They're just bored people looking for something to hate." Nick nodded to him in agreement then climbed to his feet as the announcer called out their plane ready for boarding.

"Ticket, sir?"

"My _boyfriend's_ got them." Greg pointed to Nick behind him, giggling softly as Nick gave him a slight frown. "What? You do." Nick dug the tickets out of his pocket, showing them to the young blonde lady behind the desk. She directed them through, giving them both warm smiles as she watched them leaving together.

"Where's your ticket, sir?" The brunette flight attendant asked the elderly man that could barely see past his nose. He pulled his ticket from his pocket, holding it up to her face to read off his seat number for him. "All the way at the back." The hostess pointed out the old man's seat for him then smiled at the next man, Nick. "Hello, sir. Um... the middle, by the window." She pointed, giving the handsome man a smile, before she turned to the next, ready to show him where his seat was.

"I already know, it's next to my _boyfriend_." The young man cut her off before she could speak, giving her a wide smile before he made his way off down the aisle after his boyfriend.

"Okay, seriously Greg. Stop with the boyfriend thing." Nick warned him, taking a seat by the window.

"Nuh uh, I'm gonna use it as much as possible." Greg grinned at him, dropping into his seat beside him. "Because my _boyfriend_ is the best _boyfriend_ in the whole wide world of _boyfriends._"

"Okay, I get it." Nick laughed softly. "But nobody cares that you're my boyfriend, so would you stop tellin' them like it's a news headline."

"Okay, I won't tell another sole that you're my boyfriend." He said loud enough for the people in front of them to hear. "What? I didn't tell em." He innocently smiled at Nick.

"Just zip your trap until we get to Vegas." Nick cautioned him.

Deciding to torment his boyfriend a little, Greg whispered, "Will you spank me if I don't?" Nick responded with a stern look, unable to get mad at him as he gave him the Greg Sanders puppy dog look.

* * *

**There it is! I hope you enjoyed it. Off to Vegas in the next chapter. :D**

**Hope you have a great rest of your weekend!**

**Thanks for reading, Please review to let me know what you thought and whether you're still enjoying it!**

**~ Holly**


	22. Chapter 21: What's mine is yours

**Thanks so much for all of your reviews and favouriting on the last few chapters. I'm glad you're still enjoying this story. An extra long chapter here for you, I hope you like it :D**

**Thanks to Alisa for beta-ing!**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty One: What's mine is yours**

Rolling over on the big comfy bed in his boyfriend's bedroom, Greg gave out a soft moan, finding himself tangled with his partner's body beneath the warm covers that smelled completely of the Texan god. "Good Mornin', Darlin'." A husky voice whispered against his neck, before he pressed a delicate kiss to the side of his head. "How'd you sleep?"

"Like a log." Greg rolled again, turning into his boyfriend's warm embrace, receiving a kiss to his temple. "Mmmm, can we stay in bed all day today? I need time to unwind from holiday mode."

"I'd love to, but I've got laundry to do, a boyfriend to move in, and grocery shoppin' to do." The Texan smirked, wrapping his arms around Greg's body. "We can stay for another hour or two, but we're out of food and clean clothes. Not to mention the fact we have to catch up on our sleep, in order to be at work on..."

"Grrgh, you're such a buzz kill." Greg groaned at him, dropping his head to his shoulder. "How'd I end up naked in bed with the only guy who would rather shop, do laundry and catch up on his sleep for work then spend some intimate time with me?"

Chuckling softly, Nick touched his lips to the moaners head, tightening his arms around his warm body, "Baby, we just spent our _whole_ vacation, intimate, naked and alone together. How much more intimate time do you need with me?"

"How's forever? Is forever good for you?" Pushing himself up on his hands, Greg moved to blanket his partner's body with his own, stealing their first morning kiss, for the next chapter of their lives together.

Nick chuckled again, pulling back from his partner's lips as he continued to smother him with kisses. "I love wakin' up next to you. It's like bein' smothered with kisses from an adorable puppy." He grinned, brushing his fingers through Greg's tousled, pillow creased hair style. "I'm so in love with you, it makes me feel like a new man, G."

"You are. You're my man." Greg cheekily grinned, leaning closer to press their moist lips together, as he gently stroked Nick's stubbled chin with his thumb. "I love you too, Nicky."

"Now get up, we've got a lot to do." Nick playfully tickled his boyfriend's sides then climbed out of bed, heading in the direction of the bathroom to get ready, while Greg remained in the bed, hoping to get more sleep. "Greg!" Nick's voice shouted through the open bathroom door a few seconds later, as he suspected the younger man was just going to go back to sleep again.

Greg gave out a soft groan, replying, "Coming mother!"

Once Nick was ready, he put a load of laundry on, hurrying Greg along, trying to get him ready so they could go grocery shopping together, so he knew he would buy things that his boyfriend actually liked to eat.

"No... no... no... no... don't like... tastes gross... no way... no... they're okay, but I wouldn't eat them... definitely not..."

"Do you like anythin'?" Nick laughed, poking his boyfriend in the side. "We're barely past the fruit and veg."

"Exactly, I like the sugary snacks." Greg giggled, "I love chocolate and sugar. We can stop by the meat though, I love a..."

"There are children around." Nick quickly warned him.

"I was gonna say rack of lamb. And people say I have a dirty mind." Greg gave him a cheeky smirk, as he turned the trolley around. "You can hang around in the colourful fruit and veg aisle if you want, I'll go and check out the meat."

"Just keep your hands off the guys."

Greg playfully stuck his tongue out at him, bumping his hips into Nick's as he stepped past him. Watching his boyfriend swaying his hips as he walked away, a wide smile spread across Nick's lips as he realised how lucky he was to have found somebody like Greg.

"Hannah! Hannah!" A loud woman's voice suddenly cut through the silence. Nick turned his head towards her voice, taking a step back as a four year old suddenly tornadoes past him, holding a half naked Barbie doll in her hands with a cape tied around her neck. "I'm sorry." The woman apologised to Nick, hurrying after her daughter.

Nick just gave her a smile, watching as Hannah continued to run down the aisle, making her ponytail of blonde hair bounce with each step. He started to wonder what it would be like to have a child with Greg. After all, he had always wanted to be a father to a child someday, but he had no idea what Greg's thoughts were on the subject.

Making his way through the store to collect everything else he needed, Nick started seeing happy couples and babies everywhere. One woman had her hands full with twin boys, moaning that they wanted the mini pizzas, while their mother chose to pick the large family sized pizza. Another young mother down the frozen produce aisle was dealing with her baby's spit up down her top, while her husband held the baby out in front of him at arm's length, as if it was carrying some infectious disease.

Nick stopped in the men's health section, watching a father holding his sleeping baby in his arms as he selected the right shaving cream for himself, with a proud look on his face. The man gave Nick a smile as he walked past him, gently patting his baby girl on the back as she started to stir.

"Hey." Greg suddenly appeared beside him, taking the things off his hands to dump in the trolley. "I already got toothpaste and things. You like this shampoo, right?"

"I guess." Nick nodded to him. "Hey G... have you... have you ever..." Nick nervously bit his lower lip, as he tried to get his words out.

"What?" Greg queried, leaning against the trolley in front of Nick.

"Have you ever thought about havin' kids?" Nick decided to just blurt it, waiting for the surprised reaction on Greg's face, but there wasn't one. "Before you say anythin', I'm not one of those people who want to rush the kids and everythin' as soon as they get in a relationship... it was just..."

"I know." Greg interrupted him with a smile. "Yes, to answer your question. I have thought about having kids, even though I'm kinda a father already to Lita's triplets... I have thought about having kids of my own someday... and I guess I'd kinda be good at it. But I'm not sure I'm ready... you know, to have them... yet. But if you wanted them..."

"I don't wonna rush you into anythin'." Nick cut him off. "I wonna enjoy just bein' with you, for as long as I can."

"As long as you can stand me?" Greg grinned at him. "Don't worry, I know what you meant. I definitely see kids in our future though. Maybe a little Nicky..."

"Or a little, Greggo." Nick added. "I love that I can just talk about all this stuff with you, G. In all my other relationships, our conversations were so stiff."

"That's because, I'm still your best friend. You've never actually _been_ with someone you were already friends with." Greg pointed out to him, smiling as Nick suddenly leant forwards, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "You're kissing me in public now?"

"Sometimes these kisses just can't wait until the car." Nick defended himself, brushing his fingers across Greg's cheek. "And I don't really care if people think I'm some big queer anymore. Good things always come at a price, and it's a small price to pay in order to be with you for the rest of my li..."

Nick's words were abruptly cut off by Greg clamping his hand over his mouth, "Don't propose to me in front of the condoms, Tex." He quickly warned him. "I'll never let you live it down."

"I wasn't." Nick's words muffled against Greg's hand.

"Good, because it's not a very romantic thing to do, especially when it's coming from a _supposedly_ sentimental, cowboy." Greg winked at him then dropped a few into their cart. "Can we go home now? I'm starving."

"MmmHmm, right after we grab a bottle of wine or somethin' that you like."

"Well you know I'm into the Merlots, the supposed chick drink to you."

"Because that stuffs weak, but if you like em, we'll get some." Nick smiled at him then turned him in his arms to face the opposite direction, so they could make their way off towards the alcohol selection, before heading home.

They returned home a few minutes later to unpack all of their groceries, putting on another laundry load, before they headed over to Greg's apartment to get some of his things, and to let Greg's mother know that they were home safe.

"Uncle, Greg!" Gracey was the first to shout, as her uncle finally returned home. She excitedly skipped towards him by the door, with her little blonde pigtails bobbing either side of her head.

"Hello, Munchkin." Greg grinned widely, kneeling down to her level to hug her tightly. He hugged Jacey and Macey, as they ran into his arms too, pressing angel kisses to each of their foreheads, as he had missed them all so much. "Wow, you all grew like three feet. Were you always this tall?"

"We haven't grown." Jacey gave her uncle a funny look then turned her attention to the door as another man came in.

"Nicky!" Gracey immediately shouted, rushing towards him for a hug. Her sisters Jacey and Macey soon followed her lead, leaving Greg empty handed, while they all hugged their uncle's new, very special friend. Nick was surprised they actually remembered him; much less than he was surprised they actually wanted to hug him.

"Hello, sweetheart!" Jean's voice bellowed through the apartment, as she suddenly appeared in front of Greg, pulling him into a bone crushing hug. "Oh I missed you, baby. I hope you took lots and lots of pictures, that I can show my future grandchildren of their daddies' first vacation together." She grinned at the two of them.

"Uh... we're having kids?" Greg responded, giggling softly as he caught his partner's reaction. "Nicky, you didn't tell me you were pregnant."

"If I am, it's gotta be some kinda record." The Texan smirked.

"You mean, you two..."

"Mother." Greg cut her off. "It's none of your business, and something that shouldn't be discussed with three little girls in the room, or with someone's mother." He warned her, noticing his partner's sudden uncomfortableness with the conversation. "And slow down on the future planning, okay?" He warned her then turned to close the door.

"Hello, Nicky!" Jean greeted him, giving him a quick hug too, noticing he looked so much happier than the day they left for their vacation. After everything Greg had told her over the phone though, she fully expected him to have a warm glow to him, from the love he would most certainly be experiencing from her son. "I'm sorry for the future planning talk, Nicky." She apologised. "Welcome to the family, sweetheart." She whispered to him, so Greg wouldn't hear her.

Once Greg's mother finally released him from her embrace, Nick helped Greg carry the bags of gifts inside with him, taking them over to the sofa. "Who wants prezzies?" He asked, watching the triplets immediately jumping up and down in excitement.

"We got you all little cowgirl hats," Greg reported, kneeling down to place one of the cowgirl hats with a sheriff badge stitched into the front, onto each of the little girls heads. "And Mom, we got you some key chains, because I know you collect them every vacation you go on."

"Do not." She protested then grabbed for the key chains from her son's hands, giving out a soft squeal of excitement. "Wow, I don't have these ones." She gasped, looking over each of their unique designs.

Greg grinned at his boyfriend, as he had suggested that Greg get his mother something a little more expensive than a tacky key chain, but he didn't know his mother. "We also got some necklaces for you little ladies." Greg smiled at the triplets, pulled out one of the necklaces that had a hula girl dangling from it, another with a Hawaii palm tree and was a little sparkly guitar.

"I want the lady!" Macey immediately declared, grabbing for it, before her sister could. Gracey reached for the guitar, while Jacey admired the palm tree one that sparkled in the light.

"Is Lita here?" Greg queried.

"No, she's at college. She'll be home in a few hours. Whaddya get her?" Jean asked, watching Nick helping the triplets to put their necklaces on.

"Nicky picked her out some earrings, and I got her this bracelet." Greg showed his mother them. "I got Dad a sharks tooth necklace like he wanted, and we picked out these golf balls with Waimea Falls Park on them." He held them up, watching his mother grinning as she looked at the design.

"You know he'll never use them though, sweetheart. He'll say they're too special to knock around the golf course." She chuckled then looked at the pendant her son was holding up wide eyed. "Wow, is that for me?"

"Unless you know someone else who wants it." He giggled, placing it into her waiting palm. "Nicky picked it out though, so you can't give me all the credit." He smiled over at his boyfriend, then reached under his shirt as he wanted to show off his own. "He bought me this one."

"Wow." Jean smiled as she looked at the dark beaded necklace that wasn't as feminine as the necklaces they had bought for them. "What did you get for him?" She immediately queried, hoping her son was showering him with gifts too. Nick tugged up the sleeve of his jacket, revealing the dark chain identity bracelet with the Celtic knot for love in the centre instead of an inscription. "Oh, wow!" She grabbed his wrist to take a closer look. "That's beautiful, and not too girly, so no one will suspect." She winked at him, giving him a cheeky smile.

"Okay," Greg smiled at her. "Mom, I need to talk to you a sec. Nicky can stay with the triplets a sec."

"Oh, okay." Jean waved to Nick, following her son off towards his room. "What's the matter, sweetheart?" She asked, as her son closed the door, so they could talk alone.

"Well, I needed to talk to you away from the triplets." Greg looked around his room, noticing she had cleaned it while he was gone. "Mom, I told you not to clean in here. I can never find anything when you do."

"I'm sorry. I don't see how you can find stuff when it's all over the floor or under the bed anyway. I washed all the clothes on the floor and hung them back in your wardrobe, where they belong." She indicated towards the wardrobe, sliding the door open, so he could take a look inside. "See, all nicely folded and ironed. The way clothes should be stored."

"Whatever," Greg sighed softly, dropping onto the edge of his bed. "Mom, I'm moving in with Nick." He blurted, seeing the same look on her face that he saw when he told her he was going away to college. "I wonna move forward with my life, so don't complain."

"I... wasn't," Her face suddenly exploded into a wide grin. "I hear wedding bells and grandchildren on the way." She giggled, teasing him. "Oh c'mon, I was joking. I'm very happy for you, sweetheart. So when are you moving?"

"Kinda... nowish," He nervously smiled up at her. "I'll keep paying for Lita and the triplets to live here though."

"Don't be ridiculous, your father and I can take over." She assured him, grabbing his spare suitcase from under the bed. "We better get packing your clothes and things then, honey."

"Unbelievable!" Greg laughed. "To go to college I had to pry my suitcase from your hands and literally run from the house, but to move in with my boyfriend, you pack my suitcase for me the second I tell you I'm moving out?"

"What? I'm very happy for you, sweetheart." She repeated, pecking a kiss to his forehead. "When you were going away to college, I wasn't ready to give up my rights being your mother one hundred percent of the time. Now I'm kinda used to being a little out of the picture, but don't think moving in with your boyfriend means you're off the hook for holidays and my one phone call a day."

"Okay. I won't." He assured her. "As long as Dad doesn't mind my boyfriend tagging along for thanksgiving, Christmas and everything else."

"Oh he won't." She shook her head, folding some of his jeans to stuff into the suitcase. "As long as Nicky's parents don't mind him skipping out to spend time with your family, rather than his own. Maybe I should call his mother so we can work out some kind of..."

"No." Greg cut her off, shaking his head at her. "Don't do anything. Nick hasn't even told his parents he's gay yet, so I doubt his mother wants to share her son for Christmases and thanksgiving dinners with you." He pointed out to her. "And don't you dare do anything. Nick will tell them in his own time. He doesn't need the future mother in law, cheerleader to hurry things along." Greg quickly warned her, knowing exactly what she was like.

"Okay, okay. I won't do anything. I swear on my life." She promised him. "So, what did you two get up to on vacation? The stuff you weren't telling me over the phone." She snickered softly, successfully teasing her son again.

* * *

Nick drove Greg back to his house, once he had gathered a few of his things. He cleared some space for Greg's clothes in his closet, feeling even more excited about sharing a place with the one he loved, even if his closet did look a little full and out of control, since Greg moved his things in. It was the dinosaur figures in his front room and the coffee ring on his table, that he couldn't handle. Of course with Greg's puppy dog expression when he apologised for the ring on his table, Nick could easily forgive him.

Greg dropped onto the sofa beside Nick, sliding back to sit between his thighs with his back against his chest, noticing he was watching sports. He didn't care to find out what it was, as he just wanted to relax in his boyfriend's arms. "What's that?" Nick queried, watching Greg writing something.

"A list." Greg tilted his head back across Nick's shoulder, looking him in the eye. "You have a list, so I'm making one."

Nick gently tickled his boyfriend, prying the list from his hands to read. "Get Nick to change the ugly ass shades in the bedroom. Tell Nick I love him everyday... this is more of a reminder list, G." He snickered softly, "And the ugly ass shades, they keep out the sunlight durin' the day. You don't see em with the curtains drawn."

"Yeah, but they look really tacky." Greg smiled at him, snatching his list back from his hands. "And it was just the beginning of my list anyway. I'm also gonna add, swim with dolphins, learn how to properly ride a horse, attend at least one major sporting event, write a novel..."

"What kinda novel?" He interrupted him.

"Maybe on old Las Vegas or something. You know with the mob bosses and everything."

"You're obsessed with that stuff." Nick chortled, wrapping his arms around his waist. "How do you know you won't lose this list? I know you Greg; you lose things within three seconds of pickin' em up."

"No I don't. Not always." Greg protested, resting the paper against his leg to continue writing.

Nick watched over his shoulder, curious to know what he was writing on his list, "Back rubs, bubble baths, sunsets... have I made you more romantic?"

"Nope. Believe it or not, I do have romantic fantasies, not just kinky sex." He pointed out to him. "Maybe I could tie you up and cover you with liquid latex." Greg teased him, giggling as Nick tickled him. "I was kidding. I'd be the one who you tie up."

"Nobody's tyin' anybody up," He warned him, resting his head against Greg's, as he continued to watch his sports. "You know that stuff squicks me out. It's not real love, it's... perverted."

"I was joking." Greg assured him. "You know I like to tease you. I love romantic dinners, cookies, chocolates, candles, wouldn't mind flowers..."

"I thought guys hate gettin' flowers."

"Not me." The younger man shook his head. "I love flowers, they're beautiful and they smell good too. My Nana Olaf said they're a true sign of love. Depending on what kind you get, shows you how much the other person loves you."

"Okay." Nick smiled at him. "So, what kinda flowers do you want?"

"Oh no, Tex. You have to figure that part out for yourself." He giggled, sliding his hands across Nick's muscular arms around his waist. "I'm not gonna give you a hint to being the best boyfriend, you have to do that part yourself."

Nick chuckled softly, touching his lips to the side of his head. "I thought I was already the best boyfriend? I seem to recall you moanin' that a few times over the past few days."

"Oh you are, but you have to keep up the romance to keep up your rep." He smirked, touching his lips to Nick's chin. "Not that it should be hard for someone like you. You're naturally romantic."

Gently tickling Greg's sides, Nick chuckled, "Wait and see how I am with a few more coffee rings on my table."

"I washed it off, jeez." Leaning back into Nick's embrace, Greg whispered, "It was one mistake. I won't do it again. I didn't know where the coasters were, and I was trying to talk to my mother on the phone with a scorching hot cup of coffee in my hands. Would you prefer it if I burnt my hand?"

Nick shook his head, touching a kiss to the younger man's lips, "Nope, I'd prefer it if you put it on the kitchen counter or used a coaster."

"I'll remember next time." He promised him, returning the kiss to his lips. "I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

At the beginning of their first shift back at the lab, Nick gave Greg a passionate kiss in his truck then made his way into the lab first, so people didn't realise that they arrived together. "Nicky!" Catherine greeted him, opening her arms to hug him. She hugged him tightly, gently smoothing her palms up and down his back, as she had missed him being around the lab. "So, how was your vacation? And I want details." She grinned, poking him in the side.

"Sorry, Cath... I don't kiss and tell." He smiled at her, stepping around her to reach his locker.

"Ooh, that's no fun." She complained, taking a seat on the bench to change her shoes for her case. "So you did at least kiss the new boyfriend?" She queried, watching him giving her a sly smile. "Oh you're so mean for not telling. I'd tell you every detail of mine..."

"Yeah, but I don't wonna hear them." Nick cut her off, pulling his CSI vest on. "What happened between me and Greg... is private and special to me. Not somethin' I want to tell you, so you can get your rocks off." He smirked, knowing her all too well. "I'd prefer to keep it private anyway. I don't want it bein' spread around."

"Relax Nicky, no one's gonna find out." She assured him then grabbed her own vest, pulling it on as she climbed to her feet. "C'mon then, we've got a teen rape case. Our vic's at the hospital, but we've got the scene. Warrick's going to see her, while we work the scene."

"She's alive?" Nick asked surprised.

"Yeah, we do get live ones occasionally, Nicky." She smiled at him, closing her locker. "She's fifteen, broken wrist, dislocated shoulder and a nasty head wound. But she's gonna survive."

"Unfortunately," Nick muttered, following Catherine's lead towards the elevator. "Even if we catch the guy, this kids gonna serve the life long sentence." He pointed out to her, subtly waving to Greg, before he stepped into the elevator with Catherine.

"Aww, you missing your man already?" Catherine snickered softly, catching the looks between the two of them.

"No, we're not that pathetic." Nick lied.

"Can you at least tell me what you did on your vacation, outside of the bedroom? If you ever left that is." She cheekily grinned at him.

"I took Greg horse ridin'." He started, watching Catherine's eyes lighting up, as he told her a few other details of their vacation together.

* * *

Watching the younger CSI happily skipping around the garage, while they were sorting through buckets of debris from their case, Sara laughed, "You're in a good mood." She brushed back her hair with the back of her hand, giving him a curious look through a wide grin. "Would the vacation with a certain Texan prince have anything to do with your change in mood?"

"No." The younger man shook his head, returning her smile. "Well, maybe a little. I've never been on vacation with a boyfriend before. I've never had a _real_ boyfriend that wants to be with me before either." Greg smirked, dropping the nail he found into the metals bucket, to sort through later. "You know my boyfriend asked me to move in with him."

"I know his name, Greg." She smirked, having heard him refer to the man in question as 'My Boyfriend' for the past four hours. "When are you moving in with him then?"

"I got some of my clothes there already. But after work, I'm moving the rest of my stuff in." He grinned up at her, finding another human tooth. "Ew, how come I get all the body parts?"

"Because I gave you the bucket from the section right near the body," Sara grinned at him. "You know that I don't have a very good gag reflex."

"Oh no, how on earth do you give Grissom blow jobs?" Greg teased her, immediately getting clipped round the ear. "Ouch. You know I could probably teach you the best technique."

"Shut up, Greg." She cringed, slapping him on the shoulder. "I don't wonna... talk about that. It grosses me out. I've never liked doing it to a guy... so I just don't do it. And I'm damn sure not gonna get lessons from you."

"I taught, Nicky. You just have to..."

"Shh." She silenced him, cringing even more. "Can we talk about something else please?" She practically begged him.

"Okay... well my boyfriend told me that he doesn't want to spend another night away from me, so I'm moving right into his place the first chance I get. I think I've found my first real love."

Smiling back at the adorably in love man, Sara whispered, "Well I'm very happy for you, Greg. I hope it all works out for you."

"It'll happen for you too, Sara." He assured her, snapping his gloves off his hands, as he was finally done. "I'm gonna get the rest of these bones down to the doc, see if we can get an ID on our John Doe or Jane..."

"Think he's a John." Sara interrupted him, finding a driver's licence. "Bernie MacDonald. Thirty five years old. Got an address too. I'll get Brass to check it out."

"Okay, let's go Bernie Mac." Greg grinned at Sara, as he lifted the box of bones into his hands, taking them off down to the morgue to piece together with Doc Robbins.

* * *

Dusting down the last doorframe, leading to the back yard, Catherine gave out a heavy sigh, as she came up with nothing again. She snapped her kit shut, deciding to go and check on Nick upstairs, to see if he had got any further on finding out who raped their victim.

Walking into the dimly lit bedroom, belonging to their victim, Catherine looked across the room at Nick, seeing the man was lost in thought, as he stared at the photos of their victim and her friends covering the wall. "You okay?"

Nick jumped at the sound of her voice, turning his head to look at her, "Yeah."

"Very girly for fifteen." Catherine noticed, looking around at the pretty princess pink decorations across the walls and ceiling. "I called Warrick earlier. He said our vic, Caitlyn goes to church. She wears a purity ring and she does good in school, and no boyfriend or ex-boyfriend to speak of."

"He raped her in the first bedroom at the end of the hall, belongin' to her little sister." Nick pointed out to her. "If he was a boyfriend or ex-boyfriend, he would have known where her bedroom was."

"True, so it was probably just picked at random." Catherine agreed with him, setting her kit down on the floor. "Did you do the bed already?"

"Yeah, nothin' there, same as her brother's bed and the parents' bed. Only the little girls bed has blood and semen."

"Oh, not even the parents are getting any action." Catherine smirked, noticing her co-worker wasn't in a jokey mood. "Sorry. At least we've got semen stains, the salvia on Caitlyn's shirt and her description of the guy that did it; let's just hope that's enough."

"You know that's not enough. We don't have a positive ID. God, there's nothin' in here!" Nick suddenly raged, angrily kicking the sofa bed in the corner of Caitlyn's room. "This stupid rapist is gonna fuckin' walk, again!"

"How about the closet?" She suggested, wishing the vacation he had just been on calmed him down a little more. "You should be comfortable in there." She grinned at him, trying to make a joke.

Nick scowled at her then headed over to the closet, taking a look inside. He shone his flashlight into all the darkened corners, turning up nothing but clothes and shoes. "Catherine, do you ever regret your decision to become a CSI?" He suddenly queried.

"Sometimes." She shrugged, taking a look at the homework on Caitlyn's desk. "I regret not being able to spend more time with Lindsay. I'm glad I became a CSI though. I do enjoy the work. And let's face it; no job comes without a downside to it." She moved her flashlight to look at the pictures of the young teen, wondering how she turned out so different to her own daughter. "Why do you ask?"

"It's my first day back, and already I wish I wasn't here." He admitted.

"It'll take you a while to get back into the swing of things, especially after what you went through before."

"No, I think it's more than that." He shook his head. "I used to love this job. I used to enjoy the work. Hell, it's all I had that filled my life, but now..." Nick paused to look at the smiles on young Caitlyn's face. "They're not just victims to me anymore. I find it harder to close a case and put the person behind me."

"You're not saying, what I think you're saying, are yah Nicky?" Nick responded with a shrug, making her even more worried. "So you get yourself your first boyfriend, and you suddenly wonna leave us?"

"I never said I was gonna leave." Nick corrected her, lifting his kit from the floor. "I just don't feel the same about the job anymore." He explained to her, making his way over to the door. "C'mon, let's go. There's nothin' else here."

"Okay, but we're gonna talk about this on the drive back. You can't quit, Nicky." She hurried after him. "Nicky, we have to talk about this!"

* * *

Walking through the lab halls with his partner an hour later, Nick heard the sweet laughter of his boyfriend echoing through the lab, making him instantly search for him, so he could see the adorable smile on his face to lighten up the mood he was in. "Hey look, it's your hubby." Catherine pointed him out in the break room, "Looks like he's going after his old flame, Sara." She teased him.

"He's not my hubby." Nick warned her, smelling the scents of Greg's blue Hawaiian coffee mix wafting through the hall towards them. He ignored the remark Catherine had made, as he made his way into the break room, greeting Warrick sat at the break room table then took a seat beside him to catch up, as they hadn't seen each other since he got back.

Catherine was a little disappointed that she didn't get to see any romance between the two of them, as she expected them to be more cute and cuddly with one another, after spending two weeks away on their romantic vacation.

Sara turned to the group once they were altogether for lunch, asking, "Hey, I'm ordering Chinese. Anyone else want...?"

"Let me order." Warrick interrupted her, snatching the menu from her hands. "Knowing you we'll end up with all the veggie stuff. Thanks, Greggo." He thanked the younger CSI, as he handed him a mug of his freshly brewed coffee.

"I wasn't going to order _only_ the veggie stuff." She complained, taking a seat beside Nick. "I'm not one of _those_ vegetarians who try to make other people vegetarian."

"One of _those_ vegetarians? I don't think I know any of _those_ vegetarians, Sara." Nick mocked her, taking the coffee his lover handed to him over his shoulder. "I'll buy lunch." He offered.

"Oh, look at Mr Big Spender." Warrick remarked, pulling his cell from his pocket to order lunch.

"Make sure you get egg rolls though." Nick warned Warrick.

"Ew, the last time they put more cabbage then they did egg." Sara cringed.

"You don't like cabbage? You might wonna rethink the whole veggie thing, Sara." Greg giggled, handing her a coffee, noticing Catherine was still stood at the door. "You gonna join us, Catherine? You look miles away."

All heads suddenly turned to look at Catherine, watching her anxiously shifting from one foot to the other, as she looked at the team around the break room table.

"What's wrong with you?" Nick queried, wondering what had happened from the car to here to make her like this.

"Nothing." She absently shook her head, realising that this could be the very last time the whole family were all together, if Nick was going to quit, and Greg would be soon to follow. She inhaled a deep breath to hold back the uncontrollable emotions bubbling up inside of her then turned to Warrick, "Don't get anything for me, I'm not hungry." Catherine quickly turned towards the door behind her, hurrying off down the hall past her supervisor.

"Whatsup with her?" Sara queried, raising her eyebrows, as Catherine had never been so emotional before.

"Uh... nothin'," Nick climbed to his feet, suspecting it was something to do with him, from the talk they had in the car drive over. "I'll be back in a minute. Save me some lunch." He warned the three of them then hurried off down the hall after Catherine, finding her sat on the bench in the locker room, staring down at her feet. "Cath," He spoke softly, taking a few steps closer towards her. "Catherine, whatsup?"

"Oh... nothing." She shook her head, keeping her head down. "I mean... I always knew that we'd never be together forever. We're a team, a family even. I thought we'd be together a lot longer than this, but already you're planning on leaving. Then after you've gone, Greg's bound to leave..."

"Whoa, I never said I was really leavin'." Nick took a seat beside her, seeing the actual tears in her eyes. "Catherine, I was just tellin' you how I felt and what I was thinkin'. I'm not really leavin' or plannin' on leavin' at all." He assured her.

Catherine sniffled then turned her head to look at him. "I know that. It just suddenly hit me that we're not gonna be together forever. You know what, it doesn't matter," Catherine wiped her eyes again, inhaling a deep breath, as she climbed to her feet, "I knew that this... family thing we've got here was never going to be permanent..."

"I'm not leavin'." Nick insisted, climbing to his feet after her. "Even if I was to leave, I'm not leavin' this... family thing we've got goin' here." He smirked, using her own words. "I'm much closer to this family we've got here at the lab then I am to my own anyway."

"Sorry, just... I don't have anything... friendship wise going on outside of this lab." She pointed out to him, taking a seat on the bench again. "You realise that you and Greg could be fired for dating, that whole clause in the lab policy." She decided to abruptly change the subject.

"Yeah, we were gonna talk to Grissom about it, maybe switch shifts or somethin'. We're not in supervisory roles, so we're not in direct violation."

Catherine nodded to him, giving out a soft sigh, "You know the guys that run this lab won't think that, especially with you guys being a same sex couple and all."

"I know." Nodding slightly, Nick explained, "But I love Greg too much to just throw in the towel on our relationship for the sake of my career."

"See, I told you." She pointed her finger at him, "That's exactly what I'm worried about. I've never exactly had much in the way of real family. But you guys _are_ my family, and I couldn't bear it if we were ever separated. The last time we were... we almost lost you, Nicky."

"That wasn't your fault though, Cath." He assured her. "Just because you gave me that assignment, doesn't mean you're responsible for what happened to me."

"Warrick wouldn't have fit in the box." She snickered softly, brushing the tears from her cheeks. Nick handed her a tissue, watching as she gently wiped away her tears, so she wouldn't smear her makeup. "You know technically, this means I was responsible for nearly killing the both of you." She spoke softly, feeling even more guilty.

"Greg knows the lab explosion was an accident. He's never held it against you, and I don't hold anythin' against you either." He comforted her, taking a seat beside her again. "We all know that bad shit happens to good people." He reminded her, "We see it every day on the job. It's no different with us."

"Oh my god, you really have changed." She chuckled softly. "You never spoke about your feelings this much before."

"Well you know, Greg. He encourages me to say what's on my mind more."

Catherine sighed softly, whispering, "You're really lucky to have him, Nicky. Make sure you hold onto him."

Nick smiled at her, answering, "I will."

The two of them made their way back to the break room, joining the rest of their pseudo family for lunch. Nick allowed Greg to show the team a few of the photos from their vacation together, leaving out all the romantic ones and half naked ones, as Nick wanted to keep their intimacy private, just between the two of them.

* * *

"She's just worried about you leaving, that's it? You're sure?" Greg vulnerably asked, stepping up beside his boyfriend in the Texan's kitchen, back home. "You're sure she's not having second thoughts about us?"

"No, Greg." Nick assured him, stepping around him to reach the fridge. "I'm not even leavin'. I was just tellin' her exactly what I already told you, about my heart not bein' in the job anymore. We'll talk to Grissom about the whole department policy thing tomorrow." He finished, pecking a kiss to Greg's cheek, as he stepped around him again, to continue slicing vegetables for the omelette he was making.

"I can't believe you're still hungry after all that Chinese food you had, less than three hours ago." Greg giggled softly, poking his partner in the stomach.

"Exactly, it was three hours ago, G. That's a lifetime in my stomach time." He grinned at him, feeding Greg a slice of the crunchy pepper with his fingers. "Just don't worry about it, okay? If we have to switch shifts, I'll be the one to do it."

Greg shook his head, swallowing the pepper in his mouth, before he spoke, "Nicky, you've been with them longer though. I should be the one to switch. I've been in the field for the night shift less than a year. I can easily switch to swing or days. I really don't mind."

"I hate to break it to you baby, but Ecklie doesn't exactly like you." Nick gently pushed Greg aside, kneeling down to grab the saucepan from the lower cupboard. He climbed to his feet again, turning towards the fridge, as he had forgotten to get the eggs out.

"I know that." Greg turned to lean against the other counter, so he wasn't in Nick's way. "I don't wonna be the reason to split you guys up though. He did sorta let me go in the field anyway. Switching to another shift wouldn't be so bad; we'd still get to see each other around the lab and stuff."

"Technically speakin', the rules don't apply to us, since we're not in supervisory roles." Nick reminded him. "Do you want any of this?" He indicated towards the omelette.

"Nope, I'm fine." Greg shook his head.

"If you're still tired, you can go grab a shower before you go to bed, G. I told you, this is your house too now." The Texan reminded him, turning to look at his polite boyfriend, who never wanted to stir up trouble, no matter what he was doing. "If you don't like the way somethin' is decorated or anythin', you can tell me and we'll change it. I want this place to be ours, not just mine with you livin' here."

"Okay." Greg smiled at him then asked, "Can I take a shower?" grinning wider as he saw Nick's reaction. "I was kidding. So shoot me, my mother raised me with manners."

"You sayin' mine didn't?" Nick smiled back at him.

"The farting on the toilet with your bed mate sleeping in the next room is a big clue." Greg teased him, cheekily giggling as Nick angrily poked him in the ribs. "I'm a guy. I don't care." He chortled, holding Nick's hands away from him at arm's length. "So, where do you keep your towels?"

"That'd be _our_ towels." Nick corrected him, tugging his hands out of Greg's grip. "They're on the top shelf of _our_ walk in closet. There's big towels on the left. Hand towels on the right, and bed sheets in between em."

"You're perfectly ordered life just makes me wonna mess things up." Greg giggled softly, stealing a kiss from his partner's lips.

"You better not, or I really will spank that little arse of yours, Greg." The Texan warned him.

"I'm definitely going to now." He mischievously grinned against his boyfriend's lips, as he pulled him closer against him. "You're gonna burn your omelette, Nicky." The younger man whispered against his parted lips, feeling his heart pounding as Nick wrapped both arms around his body.

"I don't care." Nick pulled back for a moment's breath, giving his boyfriend the kiss he had been craving to give him all day.

"Are you sure you can give up your perfectly organised house to be with me?" Greg queried, as they finally separated.

"I gave myself over to you," Nick whispered, brushing his thumb across the younger man's chin, "I'm pretty sure I can give up my house."

Greg smiled back at him, smoothing his partner's hair out straight for him. "Okay. I'm gonna take a shower. Don't burn your omelette." He pointed it out, snatching a quick kiss, before he finally pried himself away from him, heading down the hall to the bedroom, so he could grab a towel to take a shower.

Nick finished making his omelette then took a seat on the sofa with it, looking through his post while he ate. He then cleared away the things he had used in the kitchen, locking up the house, before he headed in the direction of the bedroom, finding Greg lying on his stomach beneath the sheets of his bed. His hair was still wet, his clothes were thrown over the chair and his wet towel was lying on the floor beside the bed, but Nick just smiled, as his boyfriend looked too adorable to scold for doing something that didn't agree with the Texan's natural order of things.

Shedding his own clothing into the laundry basket, Nick picked up Greg's wet towel then neatly folded his clothing for him, before he climbed into the bed beside him, spooning his warm body tightly. "Sorry, did I mess up your system." Greg murmured softly, leaning back into his embrace.

"Yep." Nick whispered against his neck, closing his eyes to drift off to sleep with his partner. "And you're sleepin' on _my_ side of the bed, Sanders."

* * *

**There it is, please let me know what you thought of it :D**

**Thanks so much for reading!**

**Take Care**

**~ Holly**


	23. Chapter 22: Loving You

**Chapter Twenty Two: Loving You**

After nearly two months of living with Nick, Greg was really starting to get the hang of all of his rules about cups needing coasters, how the dishwasher was loaded and that the bed needed to be made, before they left the house. Life was good. It was so good in fact, that he had finally started to relax and be a little more of himself around him.

"Greg!" The younger man shivered at the sound of the raspy Texan voice. He hadn't left the toilet seat up, he definitely picked up his towel after having a shower and his coffee cup was sat on a coaster, as requested, so he didn't know what he could have possibly done wrong. "Greg, you left your whole box of flippin' collectables right in the doorway. I just stubbed my freakin' toe, again!" He scolded him, limping towards him.

"You didn't break them did you?" Greg immediately panicked, closing the book in his hands. "I've been collecting those things in that box for ye..."

"How about a little sympathy for the man with a broken toe?" Nick interrupted him, dropping onto the sofa beside him. "Look, its turnin' purple."

"Don't be such a baby." Climbing to his feet, Greg hurried into the kitchen to get him some ice, holding it to his throbbing toe for him. "You never told me where I could put em, so I just... kinda left it there. And besides, it was _by_ the door, not in front of it." He corrected him, checking his toe wasn't broken.

"I told you that you put your stuff wherever you like. Ow... be careful." He winced. "Greg, I hate havin' boxes all over my house. You moved in two months ago, can you please do somethin' about it?"

"Exactly, it's _your_ house." Greg pointed out to him. "I'm on thin ice as it is with the stained coffee ring on your table; I killed three of your plants in my first two weeks here, I've broken two coffee mugs, a wine glass, a vase and a plate, oh and the broken shower head..."

"I believe the broken shower head was my fault." Nick winced as Greg moved the ice to a different position on his toe. "Greg, I want your stuff in this house. At the moment, the only existence of you in here is in the closet or the bedroom, and I don't want it to be that way. I've been hidin' things in the closet for too long."

"Okay." Greg smiled at him. "I'm just scared that I'm gonna screw this up by being too much of myself. I've ruined everything else in my life by being myself."

"I think I already know you better then you think, G. And you're not on thin ice; the permanent coffee ring on my table will always be a reminder that I have you in my life." He grinned. "It's evidence that I'm not alone. And the shower head can easily be replaced, once I get around to it. I've lived with much messier guys than you. My college roommate for example, he kept stale pizza boxes under his bed, and left his dirty underwear at the bottom of his bed to just rot there, until his mother came to do his laundry. I used to live with this one guy who left his snot rags everywhere, he used to pick his nose and wipe it beneath the sofa cushions too."

"Ew." Greg cringed, squirming at the thought of it.

"I know. I used to share a room with my big brother, when he was goin' through his no showerin' phase too. You're nothin' like any of the people I've lived with before, because I actually _want _to live with you." He assured him. "And of course you smell amazin'. You're really not that bad to live with, Greg. It's the hidin' your things away in closets and boxes that's annoyin' me."

"Okay, I'll unpack them... somewhere." Greg smiled, removing the ice from Nick's toe. "How's the toe?"

"Better." Nick leant forwards, stealing a kiss from his lover's lips. "Just don't put the dinosaurs and things in the front room, we might have company." He quickly added, giving him a wide smile, as Greg playfully poked him in the side. "What? I love you, but other people might think it's weird to have dinosaurs, snow globes and little action figures at our age."

"Our age? I'm only thirty thank you very much, Nicky." He giggled. "My Papa Olaf said childhood only ends when you're bored of life. You can enjoy all the fun things in life at any age."

"I know that." Nick grinned at him. "But seriously, no dinosaurs in the front room. Your comics can go with the books and stuff, but no dinosaurs. I have Warrick over to watch games, yah know."

"Okay, no dinosaurs in the front room." Greg nodded, grabbing another kiss from his lips, before he disappeared. "I love you, Nicky."

"I love you too." Nick whispered back then checked the time on his watch. "Shit, I'm really late now. Did the laundry load finish?"

"Yep, I ironed your shirts while you were asleep, but I seriously lack in folding skills, so I hung them over the chairs in the dining room." Greg pointed them out to him. "Your jeans are in the closet and fresh, warm boxers are still sat in the dryer."

"God I love you so much!" Nick declared, smothering Greg with kisses, before he hurried away to get dressed for work. "How is it you know exactly what I like, after only livin' with me for a couple of months?" Nick queried, as he returned from the bedroom, adjusting his watch on his wrist.

"Because I've been paying extra special attention to you." Greg responded, grinning widely as his lover leant down to give him a kiss goodbye. "And don't worry; I'll unpack everything while you're out at work, so you won't be stubbing your poor lil toes anymore."

"Thank you." Cupping Greg's cheeks in his hands, Nick gave him another kiss, resting their foreheads together. "You know I always wanted somebody to kiss goodbye before work, but now I don't wonna leave."

"You have to." Greg giggled, "You've already been late three days this week, you can't go for a forth."

"Okay, I love you." Wrapping his arms around Greg, the sentimental cowboy stole a quick hug, before he reluctantly climbed to his feet, turning towards the door to finally leave. Greg waved after him, giving him a wide smile as he left then returned to reading the book in his hands, feeling lonely for the first time in weeks, as he was finally alone in Nick's house.

* * *

"Aww, you miss us already?" Jean Sanders laughed, as her son took a seat at the table with them, joining them for dinner, as he didn't want to eat alone at Nick's place. "Nicky, not feeding you, sweetheart?" She queried, spooning some of the lasagne onto a plate for Greg, as the triplets were already half way through their own meals.

"Yes he is." Greg defended his boyfriend, taking the plate from his mother. "He's working tonight, and I didn't wonna eat alone."

"Aww, he misses us, doesn't he?" Jean smiled round at the triplets then handed her son the salad bowl. "So, how's life as a couple? I remember when I first moved in with your father, he was always complaining about my boxes being everywhere, because his place was so cramped and I had no idea where to put any of my things, because like you... I'm a bit of a collector."

"I noticed." Greg smiled at her, playfully tapping Gracey under the table, as she kicked his knee.

"Have you unpacked everything yet?"

"Yeah, almost... I hid the few extra boxes in his guest bedroom. He said he wants me to be myself in his house, but I don't want him to realise that maybe he made a mistake with me. Things are going so good at the moment. It's like a long drawn out honeymoon, and I never want it to end."

"Honey, he wouldn't think that." Jean shook her head, explaining, "If he wants you to be yourself, you should just be yourself. Your father and I got along more, after we stopped being on our best behaviour in front of one another."

"Is Nicky a girl?" Macey suddenly asked.

"No, he's a boy." Gracey informed her sister, abruptly giggling as Greg caught her foot with his hand, before she could kick him again.

"No kicking each other at the table." Jean scolded the four children sat at the table.

"I wasn't doing anything." Greg defended himself. "And why would you think Nicky's a girl?" He queried, looking towards Macey.

"Because boys can't have babies. Nana wants grandbabies." Macey pointed out to him.

"Oh." Greg laughed, looking towards his mother. "I'll leave you to explain that one to them, since you're so desperate for grandchildren."

"I'm not desperate." Jean sighed softly, leaning back in her seat. "Technically, I already have three grandchildren. I only care about your happiness at the moment, sweetheart, and children usually follow in a relationship of happy couples." She pointed out to him. "I'm not saying you _have_ to, it's just..."

"I know, I know. It's customary for grownups to get married and start making babies in order for life to continue, so they're considered somewhat _normal_ in today's society. I know, Mom. And you'll get your grandchildren in the years to come, I'm only thirty." He reminded her. "We're still kinda in the dating phase right now, where everything's all new and special. He's been taking me out to dinner, and he actually stepped foot in his first gay bar the other night. He realised that gay people aren't as scary as he thought, and he actually made a few friends."

"Aww," Jean cooed.

"Then we went bowling yesterday, and at the end of the week he's taking me out for a fancy dinner."

"Ooh, that sounds nice. Make sure you treat him too."

"Who says I don't? Yesterday I gave him..."

"Children present." She quickly warned him.

"Breakfast in bed." Greg finished his sentence, laughing at his mother's dirty mind. "We don't always do what you think we do, Mom. Sometimes we just sit on the sofa together, and he just holds me while he watches TV."

"Aww... okay, honey. I honestly don't care what you do with him, as long as he makes you happy, I'll love him too."

"He does. He makes me very happy." Greg smiled at her then tickled Gracey, as she tried to kick him again. "Do we have ice cream to for dessert?" He queried, finishing up his dinner.

"No, but you can go and get some." Jean suggested, clearing away the plates.

"Last one to get their coat on is a rotten egg!" Greg shouted, watching the triplets quickly jumping down from their seats to grab their coats. Jacey pushed her two sisters out of the way, quickly pulling her jacket on over both arms in record time. Macey fumbled with her inside out sleeve for a moment, while Gracey quickly slipped her sweatshirt on over her head, reaching her arms up to the sky in an attempt to get her hands out of the sleeve holes.

"You're a rotten egg!" Macey declared, as their uncle only had one arm in his jacket sleeve.

"Am not, the rules don't apply to me." He giggled, helping Gracey with her sweatshirt, before he zipped up Macey's jacket for her. "Shoes." He pointed to their brightly coloured feet from the spotty rainbow coloured socks they were all wearing. Greg helped them tie their shoes then waved his mother off, before he left with the triplets, running along beside them towards the ice cream store, just down the street from his old apartment. "What does everybody want?"

"Chocolate!" – "Vanilla!" – "Strawberry!" They shouted over the top of one another.

Greg relayed the orders over to the young man, ordering one for himself in the process. He tried to keep the triplets calm for a few minutes, while they were being made then took them to the park across the street with their ice creams, allowing them to blow off some steam, before he took them back to his apartment to watch a movie, before bed. Jacey fell fast asleep against his chest, while Gracey and Macey fell asleep on either side of his mother, keeping them pinned to the sofa, as they didn't want to wake them.

* * *

Stepping into the house he now shared with his boyfriend the next morning, Greg locked the door behind him then dropped his keys to the side table, noticing something sat on the table. He immediately smiled, as he saw the bouquet of heart shaped cookies sat on the table, with a card sat beside it.

Curious to know what the sentimental cowboy had written to him, Greg hurried over to the table, immediately ripping the envelope open to take a look at the Valentine styled love heart card, reading, '_In case this isn't enough to prove how much I love you . . .'_

Greg quickly cast his eyes towards the bottom of the card, eager to know what else he had in stall for him.

The bottom of the card read, '_Join me in the bedroom,'_ fuelling the excitement that was sparking to life in his body.

He took another look at the cookie bouquet then made his way towards the bedroom, grinning widely as he found Nick, completely naked, lying across the middle of the bed spread on his stomach, with red rose petals around him and candles across all the cabinets, subtly lighting up every inch of his gorgeous body.

"WOW! I must be dreaming." Greg gasped, trying to keep himself from squealing in excitement like a little girl.

"Hi, honey," Nick casually waved to him, resting his chin in his hands. "Did you like the flowers?"

"The bouquet of cookies you mean? I loved them. I thought you're opposed to giving me chocolaty treats though?" He smirked, bravely taking a few steps closer towards the bed, even though his legs were still frozen with shock. "Wow, Nicky."

"Is that all you're gonna say?" The older man chuckled, tilting his head to the side, as he looked up into Greg's eyes, loving the way he was looking at him. "Well, are you gonna join me or not, Sanders? I've been freezin' my arse off waitin' for you to get home. Speakin' of, where'd you go? The bed hasn't been slept in."

"Relax big guy, I'm not sleeping around on you... well, only with three little girls. We kinda had a slumber party at my old apartment." Greg tugged his shoes off then removed his jacket, before he gently eased himself onto the bed beside Nick, feeling as nervous as he did for their first time. "What did I do to deserve all this special treatment then?"

"As if you need to ask," Nick leant up on his knees, lifting Greg's t-shirt up over his head. "I've been plannin' this all week." He touched a kiss to his partner's lips then pushed him down onto the bed, fiddling with the clasp of his jeans. "You don't have to do anythin' to deserve special treatment, because you've given me so much already." He rasped, leaning down to cover the younger man's mouth with his own.

"Mmmm, well whatever I did... I'm definitely gonna do it more often." Greg moaned into his mouth, closing his eyes as Nick's hands gently smoothed down his body.

The real reason Nick had decided to treat Greg, was because he had been feeling guilty for being so dependent on him since he got out of the hospital. He had even been dependent on him as a guide on their vacation into his new sexuality, making him feel even guiltier, as it was meant to be a break for the both of them.

As Nick finally pried his mouth away from him, Greg gasped for a much needed breath of air, arching his chest off the bed, as Nick tenderly left a trail of warm open mouthed kisses down his chest. He smiled as he heard a delicate moan escaping Greg's lips, urging him to go further.

Nick slowly unbuttoned Greg's jeans, gradually sliding them down his legs. He pressed kisses to his bare thighs, his knees and legs, before he tugged the younger man's socks off then crawled up his chest, joining their mouths together again.

As Nick pulled back from his lips this time, the slightest whimper escaped Greg's throat, as if he didn't want it to end. For a moment, Nick just watched Greg, listening to his heavy breathing and the soft pounding of his heartbeat against him. He gently touched his face with his hand, panting softly against his lips, as he whispered, "Do you have any idea how beautiful you are, G?"

"Only because you tell me..." Greg opened his eyes, brushing his fingers through his partner's hair. "All the time." He finished, arching his chest up, as Nick swirled his tongue across his collar bone, gently nipping at the skin to make his partner squirm. He paused to look his partner in the eye, as if he was seeing him for the first time then went back to exploring him with his mouth and hands.

Nick ran his hands across the younger man's thighs, feeling the heat of his body, burning through his boxers. His delicate fingertips feathered down the insides of his legs, causing the younger man to writhe in pleasure beneath him. Kissing the inside of his thigh, Nick listened to the delicate moans eliciting from his boyfriend's throat, wondering how it was so easy for Greg to give himself over to him completely.

Nick moved to assault the soft skin on his partner's neck, trailing kisses to his earlobe, forehead and his smooth hair, taking a moment's breather to smell the sweet fruity scents, before he moved to gently nip and suck at his lips, until the younger man was writhing and groaning in desperation for more contact.

"Roll over." The Texan instructed through a seductive rasp, leaving Greg for just a moment for the supplies he stashed on the side table. Greg was expecting to see condoms and lube, but instead his boyfriend came back with a bottle of massaging oil.

"My boyfriend gives massages?"

"Yep." Nick smiled at him, giving Greg a pillow to prop his head up. "Never on a real person before, but I've done lots of internet readin' and things. If you trust me," He climbed back onto the bed beside him, "You'll let me try out a few things, so I can spoil you more often with massages like this."

"I trust you." Greg adjusted the pillow then rolled over onto his stomach, shivering slightly as his boyfriend moved to straddle his hips with his thighs. "What kind is it?" He queried, smelling a familiar scent in the air.

"Coconut. The woman at the store said it's the best kind. Its light, non greasy, long shelf life and it doesn't stain the sheets." He smirked, watching a smile spreading across Greg's lips, as he really had thought of everything. Before he started the massage to his partner's back though, he reached for a remote on the bed, pointing and clicking it in the other direction.

"Oh my god, I really am dreaming." Greg laughed as some soft music came on, instead of the cowboy twang he was expecting.

"You're not dreamin'." Nick chuckled, rubbing some of the oils into his hands. "I just wonna spoil you rotten, the same as you've been doin' with me lately." He teased his fingertips across Greg's shoulders then feathered them down his spine, tracing each of the scars, very delicately, before he started to knead his knuckles into him, beginning to drain all the tension from his body.

Nick bent to kiss one of the scars, massaging his fingertips into the back of Greg's ribs, before he applied a little more oil, sliding his palms up and down his smooth skin. "Is this okay?" He whispered.

"Perfect." Greg replied with a purr, giving out a soft giggle, as Nick bent to mark his neck with a kiss. "I've never had a massage from a naked guy before, but this is definitely the very best one."

"You've had massages before?" He queried, sliding his fingertips down Greg's ticklish sides.

"After the lab explosion, when I was in physiotherapy. The massages were supposed to stop the pain. But sometimes it made it worse." He explained to him, closing his eyes again, as Nick's hands drifted down his back, brushing against the rim of his boxers. "Mmmm, this is the best by far. No pain."

Nick smiled to himself, caressing the curves of Greg's shoulders. He continued to stroke the soft, beautiful skin with his hands, massaging the firm muscles with his thumbs. The prolonged exploration of his partner's body seemed to last for hours, making Greg achingly hard from the intense orgasm building inside of him.

But his boyfriend wasn't done yet.

He moved to massage his thighs and calves, tugging his boxers down to massage the soft swells of his arse. His hands roamed across the subtle muscles of his boyfriend's body for another long hour, making sure Greg was comfortable and still enjoying it every few minutes.

Rolling Greg over onto his back, Nick perched himself on his hips again, gently massaging his chest with the remaining oil on his hands. "Mmmm, I think I could sleep for a month." Greg purred, fluttering his eyes shut, when Nick leant down to kiss him.

Pulling back from his partner's lips, Nick whispered, "You really think it was that good?" He caressed Greg's sensitive pelvic bone, holding their hips together. "I haven't even gotten to the main event yet, honey."

"Ooh, I can't wait." Greg's features spread into a wide smile, as he felt Nick's heart pounding heavily against the surface of his chest, and his hard erection pulsing against his own. "I love you, Nicky." He whispered, circling his arms around his warm body. "You know that, doncha?"

"I know." Nick slid his hand towards Greg's hip, holding his body closer against him, feeling as though he was melting into him. "I love you so much too, Greg. I feel safer in your arms than anywhere else in the world."

Greg smiled up at his sentimental cowboy, parting his lips as the older man leant closer, joining their lips for another exhilarating kiss, as he started to grind his hips against him, getting him even more worked up then he already was. Greg involuntarily shivered at the feeling of the other man's groin, grinding against his own, struggling to hold onto the ecstasy ready to burst from inside of him.

Nick pinned the younger man's arms down to the bed either side of him, to keep him from touching him, as he only wanted him to feel pleasure at this point. With the younger man's thighs caressing either side of his hips, Nick moved towards his legs, brushing his hard groin between the clefts of the younger man's cheeks. He ground his hips against him, continuing to hold his boyfriend captive beneath him.

A series of groans and whimpers escaped Greg's lips, as speech was beyond him at this point. He squirmed helplessly in his lover's arms, pleading desperately against his parted lips with more whimpering to release the white hot fire, burning inside of him.

His pleasure was abruptly stopped though, as Nick suddenly reached over his head for the bottle amongst the dishevelled bed sheets and rose petals. "You're gonna use massaging oil?" Greg giggled, spreading his legs wider and Nick moved between him.

"Works same as lube." He shrugged.

"But no condom?" Greg asked him surprised. "Do you want my mother to kill you?"

Nick sighed softly in annoyance then crawled across the bed, retrieving a condom from his draw. "Does she wonna see my test results again?" He asked him, rolling the condom up his throbbing length. "I'm clean." He assured him.

"I know you are." Greg smiled at him, panting heavily as he struggled to hold in his orgasm for a moment longer, while Nick prepared him for entry of his body. His boyfriend's frantic fingers pressed into his opening, making him gasp from the sudden intrusion.

"You know I simply can't wait to have you." Nick rasped, gently biting the soft skin on his boyfriend's neck. "You're simply too sexy to wait for."

A moan elicited from Greg's throat, as Nick scissored them in and out of him, smiling as he watched Greg's fists curling into balls in the covers either side of him. He had never quite made anyone squirm like he had with Greg. It almost made him feel powerful, to cause another being so much pleasure by just a few delicate touches.

The first thrust of his hard erection came just a few seconds later, brushing over the sweet spot that caused his entire body to spasm on impact. They rolled together on the bed, keeping their mouths and bodies firmly locked together, frantically caressing, groping and moaning with each heavenly touch.

"Oh Nicky," As Greg whimpered his name, Nick stared into his velvety caramel brown eyes, feeling himself exploding inside of him within a few seconds of him. He felt as though his entire body was burning with ecstasy, burning brighter than it ever had before in his entire life.

Seven seconds of orgasmic bliss later, Nick dropped into Greg's open arms, laying his head on his shoulder, panting breathlessly in perfect harmony of one another.

Greg mindlessly stroked his fingers through Nick's hair, staring up at the ceiling as his body continued to buzz from the excitement. He still couldn't believe that they were really here together, everyday with Nick seemed as though he was dreaming on cloud nine.

"Hey Nicky, how are you?" Greg whispered to his lover, touching his lips to his partner's sticky forehead.

"Okay." Nick flicked one of the rose petals off Greg's chest then turned his head to look up into his boyfriend's eyes. "Great actually, kinda hungry though."

Greg giggled softly, shaking his head at him. "You're always thinking of your stomach, Tex."

"Not always." Nick shook his head, circling his fingertips across Greg's chest. "I've been thinkin' about you much more than food lately, Greg." He whispered then lifted his head to look his partner in the eye. "I've never felt this close to anybody in my entire life before."

"So you like sex with men now? It doesn't gross you out or feel unnatural?"

"I don't like sex with men... I love sex with you. And it was never me that felt that anyway." He reminded him, circling his arms around him. "Other people made me feel that way. The first time we were together, it felt right for the first time in my life. With you, it feels like I'm passin' the core of my soul into you." He whispered, brushing his fingertips down the side of Greg's face. "Like the energy of my soul is mergin' us together as one."

"You know, most guys would say... 'hot', 'a good fuck' or 'sexy'." Greg giggled softly, "How'd I end up with the only romantic guy in the world who talks about souls and merging together when I ask him what sex with me feels like," He teased him, wrapping his arms tighter around his body. "I think I just fell a little bit deeper in love with you, Nicky."

"Me too." He whispered, beginning to doze off to sleep, planning out his next romantic evening for his amazing boyfriend.

* * *

After another long weekend of dancing, dreamy romantic dinners and a long night in a flash hotel room, complete with all the trimmings, Greg crawled his way into work for another shift, getting called out to a casino heist within the first ten minutes. He spent the first half of his shift with Catherine and two trainees, photographing the thousands of bullets that littered the floor, amongst the casino chips, blood and the bodies of the deceased victims.

They called in more help half way through, as the casino manager was complaining they were taking too long, and he had a business to run. He had told him they were going as quickly as possible, but they couldn't rush and risk missing a vital piece of evidence that would eventually lead them to the thief's who managed to kill three people and wound five from their random fire.

Catherine sent Greg back to the lab for the second half of the shift, making him go over all the video tapes from every angle of the casino with Archie, to see if the cameras picked up anything the witnesses had missed.

"Well now, I'm glad that that's over." Catherine sighed in relief, after dropping off the last of the bullets she collected with Bobby Dawson. "Ooh, someone looks well rested." She stated, watching Greg giving out a sleepy yawn in the AV lab. "What's the matter, Greggy? This never ending shift or is yah sex life too demanding?" She teased, chuckling softly as Greg just rolled his eyes at her. "C'mon, I was kidding. So, how's thing's at the love nest?"

"Great, but I'm sworn to secrecy." He pointed out to her, knowing that she was just snooping around for details. "What's the pot up to?" He queried.

"There isn't a..."

"Yes there is." He interrupted her from trying to deny it, having over heard the ladies at the water cooler at the beginning of his shift. "So, what's the pot up to?"

"I'm not sure... exactly. But I bet that you'd stay together." She quickly assured him. "Oh, and Nicky's looking for you. I'll finish up with this." She pointed to the security cameras from the casino heist he had been processing for the past three hours.

"Grissom said my relationship should never take priority over a case though."

"Trust me, this is much more important." She winked at him, pushing him out of his seat, to get him moving.

Reluctantly, Greg left his station in the AV lab, ambling his way through the busy lab, towards the break room to look for Nick. For the past few months, Nick had been keeping their new relationship separate from the lab. He never kissed, touched or sweet talked him in the building, abiding by the rules of no PDA's on the job, so it was very unusual to be pulled out of working to speak to Nick, unless he was going to end the relationship.

They had been going out a few months now, maybe he was finally tired of him and wanted to move on to find someone else better looking? Greg feared.

Greg started to anxiously bite his lip, hesitantly reaching his hand out for the break room door. He felt like running away, so he couldn't break up with him in the 'break' room. But it was too late. He had already seen him, and he already had that loveable smile plastered across his face.

"Hi, Greg." Nick casually greeted him, probably buttering him up to tell him they could still be friends and it wasn't him that was the problem, Nick just needed the time to get into his-gayer-self.

"Hi." Greg gulped. "So... um... what's... eh... going on?" He struggled to piece together his sentence, stopping his emotions from bubbling to the surface, as Nick seemed a little more distant to him than usual.

"Well, Greg..." Setting his coffee down on the side, Nick looked around at the halls to see if they were being watched then took a step closer towards Greg, looking him deep in the eye. "I wasn't exactly sure how I wanted to do this. I always thought it would be some huge event that neither of us would ever forget,"

Greg gulped hard again, beginning to feel dizzy as Nick was just about to try and subtly break his heart.

"Anyway," Nick snapped Greg out of his thoughts. "I finally figured out how I wanted to do it." Nick reached for a file behind him, pulling out a picture of his niece Gracey, with three of her fingers up and her little finger and thumb together across her palm.

"What's...?" Greg looked up at him confused.

"That's your job to figure out CSI, Sanders." Nick winked at him then touched a kiss to his cheek. "There's a few pieces of the puzzle to figure out. And Grissom's given you the rest of the shift off to figure it out."

"Wait, Nicky." Greg held the picture in his hands, furrowing his brows together as he looked round at Nick. "I don't get it."

"You will. I know you, G." Nick assured him then grabbed his coffee, making his way out of the break room.

Dumbfounded, Greg stared at the picture of Gracey, trying to figure out what kind of hand sign she was doing, but he really didn't know sign language, so he figured he would go and see Gracey to see if she could tell him what Nick was trying to tell him.

He was glad he wasn't breaking up with him, but this was all a little too confusing.

"Hello, sweetheart." Greg's mother greeted him with a wider than usual smile at his old apartment door.

"Hi." Greg stepped into the apartment, seeing Gracey sat on the sofa with a wide smile on her face too. "You guys are in on whatever Nick is doing?" He queried, watching their smiles steadily increasing.

"Yes, but we can't tell you." Jean tapped her nose.

"Fine, what does this mean?" He queried, holding up the picture to Gracey.

"It means... you hafta come see me." Gracey reached behind the sofa cushions, handing him an envelope. He gave her a curious look then opened it up, finding a picture of Sara with her hand in a unique symbol too. Her fist was curled into a ball with her little finger up the air. He was starting to figure out that it was some kind of message, making him very eager to know what it said.

"Sara." Greg ran up to her in the lab, noticing she had an envelope in her hands.

"Hi, Greg."

"Is that for me?" He indicated.

"Yeah, good luck." She winked at him, handing the envelope over to him, before she disappeared into the DNA lab to retrieve her results for her case from Wendy.

Greg ripped open the envelope, finding a photo of Warrick with his index finger and thumb in an L shape and a photo behind him of Grissom with his hand in an L shape too. Greg figured he would go and see Grissom first, since his office was closer, wondering if he would decipher the sign language for him.

"Hello, Greg." Grissom greeted him with a smile. "And before you ask, no." He interrupted him from speaking. "I'm not allowed to tell you what it means."

"Fine. Do you have something for me?" He queried, feeling the excitement in his stomach bubbling even more.

"Yes." Grissom pulled open his desk draw, lifting something wrapped in a clear white handkerchief. He unravelled it on the desk, lifting the silver fog watch from inside it, by its chain, setting it down into Greg's awaiting palm. "Take good care of it, it's very _old_." He warned him then ushered him out, as his phone started to ring.

Greg stepped out into the hall, admiring the old fog watch a moment. He flipped it open, seeing the clock had in fact stopped at eight o' clock. Figuring it could be another clue; Greg checked his own watch, seeing he still had half an hour until it hit eight. He searched the halls for Warrick, finding him just coming out of Hodges' lab.

"Hey, Greggo." Warrick instantly reached into his pocket, pulling out a Sapphire blue pendant necklace on a gold chain, placing it into Greg's palm. "This is my grandmother's necklace, take care of it. I'm just letting you _borrow_ it. And I have this for you." Warrick pulled out an envelope from his pocket, placed it into the younger man's hand then gave Greg a wide smile as he walked away.

Greg quickly ripped open the envelope from his hands, finding a picture of his father with his first two fingers up and his thumb curled over his other two fingers against his palm. He was starting to have his suspicions about what was going on, but he had to be sure, so he eagerly hurried back to his car, calling his father to find out where he was, to go and meet him.

As soon as he pulled up into the drive of his parent's house, he saw his mother just returning home after dropping the triplets off at preschool. She gave him a wide smile, letting him straight in the house to go and see his father, who must have been in on this whole thing too, as he had a present and another envelope for him.

"Hello, Greg." Daniel greeted his son with a hug then handed him the present from his desk. "It's brand _new_." He informed him. Greg gave him a curious look then ripped the wrapping paper off the box, finding a smart suit carefully folded inside with a small message card sat on top that only had an address written on it.

"C'mon chop, chop." Jean hurried him along, tapping her watch. "You don't have much time left."

"What does this all mean?" He complained, hating not being in the loop, even though he was loving the suspense.

"Go and change." Jean insisted, hurrying him along with the box in his hands.

Reluctantly, Greg made his way up the stairs to one of the spare bedrooms, changing into the smart suit jacket and trousers, with a smart but casual dress shirt that was exactly his size and style. He was starting to feel really nervous about the outcome of this day. He had a pretty good idea of what Nick was trying to do, which only made him more nervous.

Once Greg was changed, he transferred the address, the fog watch, the sapphire blue necklace and the pictures over to his suit then made his way down the stairs, receiving the envelope from his father's hands. He quickly ripped it open, finding of photo of Nick pointing to himself, wearing a sunny smile.

"Oh my god, I feel dizzy again." He rushed to hold his head, feeling his heart fluttering with excitement. "So I have to go here?" He queried, holding up the address to his parents.

They both gave him a nod, holding back their emotion, until their son had left to drive to this mysterious location.

It wasn't long until he arrived. The place appeared to be a bar, but there were no lights on and there didn't appear to be any people inside. He found himself a parking space then walked up to the building, hesitantly reaching out for the door handle. It didn't appear to be locked, so he let himself inside then rushed to hold his heart as loud voices suddenly shouted, "SURPISE!" at the top of their lungs, as the lights flickered on.

Greg's eyes took a moment to focus to the brightly coloured lights that had just come on, but he soon realised that it was everyone from the lab, in smartly dressed clothing and the banner above them read, 'Congratulations, Greg!'

He had no idea what they were congratulating him for, but as soon as Nick stepped out of the crowd with that gorgeous sunny smile plastered across his lips, he had a feeling what was coming.

"So, did you figure it out yet, baby?" Nick queried, coming closer.

"I... th-think so." Greg stammered, retrieving the things he had collected from his pockets. "The only thing's I can't figure out is these." Greg held up the photos of Gracey, Sara, Grissom and Warrick with their hands in different symbols, along with his father's picture from his other pocket.

"It's very simple really." Nick grinned, turning Greg towards the table beside them, to lay everything out. He set Gracey, Sara, Grissom's and Warrick's pictures down together in a line, watching Greg's eyes as they scanned over them.

"Oh my god, I'm so stupid." Greg slapped himself in the head, realising Gracey was making a W with her fingers, Sara's little finger was making an I and Grissom and Warrick were each making L's. "But what's my Dad's one?" He queried, curiously looking at his fingers again.

"It's U, Greg. He's makin' a U, and you shoulda got some more little things from people."

"Yeah, an _old_ fog watch, a _borrowed_ sapphire _blue_ necklace..." Greg looked down at his suit as realisation washed over him. "And a _new_ suit. Old, new, borrowed and blue." He picked up the picture of Nick pointing to himself, figuring out the message from the clues. The first pictures were spelling 'Will', his father's was 'you', the items he collected were marriage traditions and Nick was pointing to himself in the last one. "Will you marry me?" He realised, giving Nick a wide smile.

As the clock across the room suddenly chimed for eight o' clock, Greg's boyfriend pulled a ring shaped box from his pocket then got down one knee in front of him, looking up into his eyes. "Greg, these past few months, you've made me the happiest man alive. We've been best friends for years, I just never realised how close we could have been. But now that I have you, I never wonna let you go . . . So, would you do me the honour in becomin' my life partner, my best friend, my lover, and my husband, for the rest of our lives together? Because without you . . . I feel as though somethin's missin' from my life."

Beaming with happiness and overwhelmed with emotions, Greg immediately announced, "Of course I will." Before he dropped to his knees in front of Nick and threw his arms around his neck to hug him tightly, assuring himself that this was really happening and it wasn't just a dream. "I love you so much, Nicky." He whispered, trying not to cry, as the lab crew were still in the room, beginning to cheer and congratulate the newly engaged couple.

"So, did you like it?" Nick queried. "I was gonna do it over a dinner or somethin'..."

"I loved it. I'll never forget this, you definitely made it memorable." Greg assured him, sealing his mouth over Nick's for a kiss to forever seal their fate.

* * *

**There it is, I hope you enjoyed the proposal idea. I had to do some research on sign language, and try to figure out what clues Nick would leave him, but I think it turned out alright. Please let me know what you thought of it and I hope you all enjoyed it :D**

**Thanks so much to my beta Alisa!**

**Have a great weekend!**

**~ Holly**


	24. Epilogue

**Epilogue:**

After so many years of friendship and so many long months of dating, the day had finally arrived. The day that Nicholas Stokes got to publicly declare his love to the man he loved, binding them together, forever. Something he had always wanted to do, and that _something missing_ that he had always felt in his life, was finally filled with his love for, Greg Sanders.

Nick turned to look in the mirror for the hundredth time in the past few minutes, feeling his heart literally racing inside of his chest. He looked towards the door as it suddenly opened, giving Catherine a wide smile as she stepped inside. "Hey." She greeted him, holding up the trail of her dress as she hurried over to him. "How you doing, you nervous?"

"Terrified." He boldly admitted, as he fumbled with his bowtie in the mirror. "Does this look okay to you? It feels all wonky or somethin'."

Catherine gave out a soft chuckle, as she reached for his tie to adjust it for him. "Well Greg's not much better... with the nerves I meant. I was just with him across the hall. Did you know he's actually speechless when he gets really nervous? He can't talk."

"Really?" Nick started to worry about him, thinking that maybe he should run across the hall to see if he was okay for himself, but there were only a few more minutes left until their curtain call, so he couldn't.

"There's no need to be nervous." Catherine spoke softly, as she straightened out his jacket for him. Gently brushing the lint off his shoulders, Catherine assured him, "You and Greg have practically acted like a married couple for the past few years, anyway. This is no different really. You just introduced a little more romance to the mix... well a lot more actually, and that sexy boy on boy..."

"Catherine." He cut her off. "You're goin' a little off topic."

"Right," She grinned, fanning herself with her hand to tease him. "Sorry. I just can't help myself sometimes. Anyway, this whole ring exchange ceremony here is nothing really. It won't change who you are, it just binds your love before the eyes of... Elvis and the state of Las Vegas." She chuckled softly.

"We didn't go for the Elvis." He reminded her, as he gave out a nervous chuckle, shifting his weight from foot to foot as he glanced back in the mirror. "You know, I'm not so nervous about the Greg part, that's the part I want. It's... everyone else in there, while I tell him how much I love him. Usually it's just me and him, no audience. It's a little nerve wrackin'."

"Just pretend we're not there then." Catherine looked towards the door, as Greg's cousin, Lita slipped through the doorway, giving her the thumbs up. "Alright Nicky, you're up." Directing a wide smile in the nervous man's direction, Catherine held out her arm for him to hold onto, while they walked out into the lobby, where Jean was fussing over her son's messy hair.

As she went to lick her fingers to stick it down, Greg quickly pushed her back in protest, "Oh Mom, don't." He felt as though he was right back at the school gates where the kids used to tease and laugh at him because his mother was so affectionate towards him.

"It's all sticking up." Jean defended herself.

"It's a style. I don't need your spit in my hair. I'm not a baby anymore." He whined in protest.

"Alright, fine!" Jean sighed in annoyance, as she finally gave up, letting him wear his hair however he wanted it for a change.

Spotting Nick entering the room, Greg beamed a wide smile over at him as he caught sight of him in the gorgeous, 007 styled tuxedo that was doing wonders for his fantasies already, while Greg was all decked out in his flash white tuxedo that Nick adored on him.

"Alright, c'mon ladies." Jean clapped her hands together, ushering the three little flower girls off down the aisle, before Lita, Catherine and Sara followed after them. Jean gave her son a quick kiss on the cheek, before she linked arms with her husband and paraded off down the centre of the aisle.

Flipping the mob styled hat onto his head, Greg smoothed out his white suit jacket then reached out his shaky hand to Nick, smiling widely as the older man gave him a warm smile. Weaving their fingers tightly together, the two men stood closer together at the large open doors, feeling their nerves of excitement bubbling furiously in their stomachs, as it was finally time to go.

"Are you nervous?" Greg queried, in a soft whisper.

"Terrified." Nick admitted.

"Ha... me too." He giggled softly, clutching Nick's hand a little tighter. "After two weeks in Maui, they'll forget that we made complete fools of ourselves though." He assured his lover.

"Maybe we shoulda gotten married in Maui?" Nick suggested, wondering if they should back out, preferably _before_ it was their turn to walk down the aisle.

"You mean, we shoulda gotten Maui-ed in Maui." Greg teased, feeling Nick's arm tensing up as it was finally their time to go. "C'mon, we've been through worse than this. Just a quick '_I do'_ each, then we're off to the car on our way to the airport, with two weeks in Maui. Simple and easy." He smiled in reassurance, as Nick started to nervously look around the room in front of them.

The room itself was styled very old fashioned. The walls and floors were covered in natural wood panelling, which looked slightly worn down the centre of the aisle, where most of the foot traffic had walked. Above the wood panelled walls was a white wash ceiling, with a mosaic skylight of the Virgin Mary holding her baby.

"Yeah, I know." Nick finally answered, returning his lover's smile. "I'm not worried about marryin' you. That's the fun part of this."

"So, are you ready to go then?"

Inhaling a deep breath, Nick pulled Greg slightly closer against his side, steadying his shaky hands, trying to calm his nerves, before they started the actual walking part. Then the music suddenly started to increase in volume, signalling it was time for them to begin their advance towards the front.

"Okay, I'm ready." Nick nodded.

Greg could feel Nick's hand tensing in his own again, so he waited a moment for the older man to collect himself, before they started the march. Thanks to the triplets, the walk way was now scattered in rose petals; badly scattered in big clumps that were poorly spaced, but they tried their best.

All eyes of the congregation immediately turned to look at them as they began to walk down the aisle, who greeted them with grateful smiles, glad they could attend and share this special day with them. Greg's mother immediately started to choke up with tears of happiness, feeling overjoyed that her baby was finally getting married.

Nick could feel their eyes burning into his back as they reached the minister, but he tried not to let it bother him, as they were all here out of love. The minister was a weak frail little man, barely able to see in front of his nose, but he was the only same sex friendly minister that Jean and Nick's mother, Jillian could find on such short notice.

Nick's family weren't all too pleased to hear about Nick marrying another man, but his mother, Jillian and sister, Gwen were the only two who happily jumped on an aeroplane the day after, greeting his fiancé and his family with open arms. They didn't seem to care that he was a man, just that Nick had found happiness, like all parents should want for their children.

Watching his own mother suddenly bursting into tears of happiness, Nick felt as though he really was doing the right thing, and he was finally making her proud for something he had done. Had it not been for the firm grip of his lover, Nick felt as though he was about to cry too, which he really wouldn't be able to get away with in front of his friends from work and the few supportive family members that decided to fly over to Vegas to celebrate this day with their uncle or cousin.

The minister soon opened with a prayer, before he told the couple to face each other while they said their vows.

Nick longingly gazed into his lover's eyes as the younger man opted to go first, making Nick's heart soar from all his words of his love for him. "I can't believe we're together after all these years of friendship, but now we're here, I hope we spend the rest of our lives together, sharing our love like we have today." The younger man began to choke up.

Nick gently squeezed his hands, giving him a wide smile that restored the bravery in his heart. He finished by saying he loved him more than anything in the world then waited for Nick to gather the courage to say his own vows.

Nick's vows were all about how he had always felt something missing in his life. He told Greg that the day they rescued him from the coffin, was the first day that his eyes were really open. He could see everything, especially his love for Greg that had been drastically growing over the years.

Nick took a moment to stare into his eyes, before he finished with, "I hope we grow old together and live our lives the way they were meant to be lived, with the two of us together. I don't know what the future will bring, but with you at my side, I know everythin' will be alright."

Greg gave him a wide grin back then took the ring from his cousin, sliding it onto his partner's finger, as he repeated the minister's line, "I give you this ring, as a symbol of my love and faithfulness to you. I give myself to you with love and affection," Deciding to add, "My heart, body and soul belong to you now."

Nick immediately smiled, noticing the minister's confusion, as Greg always did like to personalise everything.

Taking the ring from Warrick behind him, Nick slid the ring over Greg's finger, repeating, "Greg, I give you this ring, as a symbol of my love and faithfulness to you. With this ring I give you all that I am and all that I have to offer." Nick added his own little line, watching Greg's cheeks filling with love.

"Alright then," The minister looked back down at his notes, announcing, "Nicholas Stokes and Gregory Sanders, repeat after me . . . this circle will now seal the vows of our marriage, and will symbolise the purity and endlessness of our love."

Nick and Greg looked into one another's mouths, before they both repeated, "This circle will now seal the vows of our marriage, and will symbolise the purity and endlessness of our love," perfectly in time with one another.

"If there are any objections to this wedding," The minister announced, glancing up over his spectacles. "Speak now, or forever hold your peace."

Nick suddenly imagined his father literally kicking the door down, charging towards them like a typical red neck with his shotgun in his hands, protesting against the whole marriage, before he killed them both... but thankfully, it never happened.

"Nicholas Stokes-Sanders and Gregory Stokes-Sanders, you may now kiss your life partner." The minister proudly announced, giving the two a wide smile as they pulled back from their kiss, igniting their vows to their heart with the wedding bands the sentimental cowboy had carefully selected. "Now, I would like to present to you, for the first time... Mr and Mr Stokes-Sanders."

The two men broke into wide smiles of their own as their wedding guests literally climbed out of their seats, applauding their commitment. "So Greg, you ready to live happily ever after with me?"

"If you believe in fairytales." Greg giggled softly then pressed himself against Nick's chest, joining their lips together for a passionate kiss, before he responded, "I'm ready if you are."

The plan for their wedding was never meant to be a fairy tale, as they wanted everything to be real and not some corny fairy tale life, but they certainly got their happily ever after fairy tale ending . . . most of the time.

* * *

Six years later – Angels Landing, Utah

"The trail is two point four miles long. It begins at Grotto drop off point on the park's shuttle sys-system. It roo-rough-ly . . . roughly follows the path of the Virgin River for some time, slowly . . . g-gain-gaining . . . el-elev-elevation in sandy terrain." They finally managed, before continuing, "As the trail gets steeper and leaves behind the river, it becomes paved. After a series of steep sw . . . switchbacks, the trail goes through the area between Angels Landing and Zion Canyon that is a grad-ual . . . gradual ascent. Walter's Wiggles, a series of twenty one steep switchbacks, are the last hurdle before Scout Lookout. Scout Lookout is generally the turnaround point for those who are un . . . unwilling to make the final summit push to the top of Angels Landing... are we doing that part?" She queried, looking round at her father.

"No." He immediately shook his head, taking the book off the small little hands, to take a look at the tourist guide information for himself. "We're doin' the first half, but not the second. It's too dangerous."

"Ooh, but Daddy!" She immediately complained, pouting her lip out at him.

"No, people have actually died climbin' that part." He pointed out to her.

"I thought that's the fun part?" The driver giggled, turning his car at the next junction. "There it is." He pointed it out. "Be sure to tell your Nana about the Hogle Zoo, the plant aquarium, the natural history museum and the kiddie rides we went on at the Lagoon, _before_ you even mention this to her." He warned the kids, before he climbed out to grab their back packs, as their Nana worried about them all the time.

"Daddy, I don't wonna do it." The little boy complained.

"Daddy, are we really gonna live here." His sister ignored her brother's whines, hurrying round the back of the car, to retrieve her backpack from her younger father.

"Well, not here," He shook his head, pulling a cap down over his messy spikes of head. "But we might be getting a house out here one day." He nodded to her then lifted the largest backpack, holding it out to his husband, "Nicky."

"Thank you." Nick smiled at him.

"Joey." He retrieved the next back, handing it to his son. "And Jamie." Handing the last bag to his daughter, he helped her to adjust the straps around her slim shoulders, before he grabbed his own bag, pulling it on over his own shoulders.

"Daddy Greg, can we go now?" Jamie pleaded, excited to get on with the adventure that they came here to do today.

"Yes, yes... don't rush me." Greg giggled, closing up the back of the car. "Right, let's go." He eagerly rubbed his hands together, excited to hike the trail of Angel's Landing, after all the years of planning to do it with his husband, they were finally here with their children to achieve this dream.

Greg checked everyone was ready and the guide book was in Nick's hands, before they set off for the steep journey ahead of them.

The journey up was a long one. Jamie took the lead with Greg, pointing out all the animals and things she saw, while Joey hung back, holding Nick's hand, as he walked painfully slow behind him. Halfway up they could see the tall mountain sides for miles, along with the path they had just walked, and a few travellers with their own families.

A young woman in a hat and sunglasses passed by them further on, with a baby strapped to her chest, fast asleep, so they asked her to take a picture of the four of them together, with the mountain in the background, to show everyone back home.

The further up the mountain they got, the steeper the trail became, making Joey complain more and more, as he hated walking for long periods of time. They stopped every couple of minutes for a refreshment break, as the weather was very hot, and the cool breeze that they started walking with had since died down, making the air hot and sticky.

Nick couldn't believe that it was actually Greg who suggested this hike, as when he first started dating him, he used to whine and complain, just like Joey about the long journey and all the elements. After six years of marriage though, Greg had grown accustomed to the long hikes that Nick liked to take, and he actually started to enjoy himself, especially as he got more into shape.

Now it was Greg who insisted on taking vacations with hiking in them, while the forty year old man was beginning to feel the burden of aging, preventing him from doing some of the things he used to do.

"Look at the view." Jamie suddenly shouted. Greg knelt down beside her, looking towards the sudden drop edge ahead of them, where people were climbing the steep ledges. "Why can't we do that part?" She pointed up to it, wondering why they saw danger, when she saw fun.

"It's too dangerous." Nick persisted, holding Joey's hand at his side, so he wouldn't go near the edge. "We'll have to come back when you're both older."

"I'm eight and three quarters. How much older do I have to be?" She asked, making both her fathers chuckle.

"Another time." Nick repeated the disappointing phrase that he used to let them down gently, only they were used to it now and knew exactly what it meant.

Nick took a seat against one of the larger boulders, searching through his bag for his spare water bottle. As he was searching, he found the dark chained identity bracelet with the Celtic knot for love, snapped in half. He had broken it accidently on one of their last hikes, losing the other half, so he couldn't wear it anymore. But he always carried the half he did have with him, as it was a very special gift from his husband; the man who made his life what it is today.

Pushing aside the spare t-shirt, flashlight and the first aid kit from his bag, Nick lifted the pictures from the bottom of his bag in their film wrapped coverings, looking at all the members of his new family.

Jamie and Joey, his fraternal twin children were on the first few pictures. From the day Nick and Greg first met them and adopted them at three years old, to growing up to the eight year olds they were now. His husband was on the next few pictures, photographed beautifully in all the different sunrises from every place they had explored since Greg had helped him to turn his life around.

A few of the photo holders at the back were left empty, hoping to be filled with more happy memories, like today.

"Hey, are you okay?" Greg dropped onto the rock beside him, removing the sunglasses from his face, to look him in the eye. "You're not too tired are you?"

"No, I'm fine." Nick flipped to the back of the leather bound book, pulling his list from the last slot. "I guess I can cross this one off my list."

"How many we got left to do now?" He queried, inching a little closer, to see if he could take a peek at what was on it. But as usual, Nick hid the list from his lover's view, stopping him from reading about the many activities and things he wanted to achieve in however much life he had left. "Fine, fine. Don't tell me. You know we're probably gonna have to laminate that thing once everything's done." The younger man pointed out to him.

"I'd rather be cremated with it." Nick spoke up, reading through everything he had added to it over the years. "Then wherever you're buried or scattered, I wonna be there with you."

"You think I'm gonna die first?" Greg asked surprised.

"No, I just mean, wherever you wonna go, I wonna go there too, that's my final wish." Turning to face his husband, Nick gave him a wide smile then captured his lips with his own, whispering, "But that's not gonna happen for a long time yet. We've got these little monsters to raise, and so much more to achieve to together. We've both been given a second chance to live better lives, let's not waste it."

Agreeing with his husband, Greg sealed the deal with a breathtaking kiss, suddenly feeling a little dizzy, but he didn't stop. He wasn't sure if it was the high altitude or his love for Nick that was constantly growing, but something was making him giddy and warm, a feeling he had never felt before in his life.

"Dad, we're hungry." Jamie suddenly complained, bringing them back to reality. "Can we _please_ go back down now?"

"Yes _we_ can." Nick answered, climbing to his feet after a moment's breather. "C'mon baby, I'll race yah down."

"No you won't." Greg eagerly jumped to his feet, tightening the laces of his boots. "I'm much more in shape then when we first started dating, big guy. I'll run circles around you this time." He cheekily giggled, before he declared, "Last one to the car's a rotten egg."

"You lost that game once before Greg, what makes you think you can win it now?"

"This." Greg suddenly leant in for a kiss, stunning his partner then suddenly slipped away, hurrying down the trail with his arms swinging at his sides for speed.

"Cheater!" Nick shouted after him then reached for his children's hands, hurrying after his giggling lover, who was already out of breath, before he even got out of eye shot round the next bend. "You can never beat me, Greg." He chuckled, remembering the races he had challenged him to at Red Rock Canyon, in Colorado Springs, Turkey Mountain, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, along with the many trails they walked in South Carolina, during their vacation there. "You don't pace yourself, G."

"You didn't beat me in Atlanta." Greg breathlessly panted. "I was seconds away from the car, but a bug flew in my eye."

"Of course," Nick chuckled, letting go of Joey's hand so he could hold Greg's. "How about we walk this one the same way we came up though, together?" He suggested, holding Greg's free hand with his, so they were joined together.

"Okay." The younger man agreed, mischievously adding, "But only because I know you're exhausted and need the head start."

"Ooh, you cheeky little,"

"No, Nicky!" He squirmed out of his embrace.

"Get him, Daddy!" Jamie cheered him on, giggling as she watched Nick lifting Greg up over his shoulder, spinning him around to make him dizzy, before he gave into his desperate giggling and pleading, finally putting him down, pressing a kiss to his lips.

"Of course I'll let you win if you want it that badly, Nicky," Greg added, pulling his husband into his loving embrace for a moment. He pulled back to look into those soulful eyes, falling in love all over again as they showed him Nick's true feelings of his love and desire for him. Smiling widely, Greg whispered, "I've already won the best race in the world."

**The End**

* * *

**Author's Note:**

I know, I'm sorry for ending it there, but it has to end sometime :D

I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it! And I hope you liked the brief introduction of Jamie and Joey for the ending. I just had to give them kids in the end, because think they would both make such great parents. Nick with his big heart and Greg's playful personality, I think they'd just be the perfect parents :D I don't know why the show never picked that up.

I won't be writing a sequel for this one, because I think I've taken it as far as it can go, without ruining it by dragging it out for too long. I hope you understand that. Thanks so much for reading this far and for all of your favouriting and subscribing to it, along with your words of encouragement and appreciation. It was an honour to write for you all :D

Please Review and tell me what you thought of the ending! I value my readers opinions more than my own family's :D lol

Thanks so much to Lindz, DeliciousSin, Katsakura, janet1982, Noyu123, Alisa123, Wragziez, ElisaFanOfSlashers, Megan, 2cool4uso, Dreamer22, CMAli 1 and everyone else for your frequent reviews! Its much appreciated and if any of you would like to send a request for my next story, please feel free!

**Have a GREAT weekend!**

**~ Holly**

Started 11th December 2010 = Finished 29th April 2011


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